Talion
by James MacPherson
Summary: Kim goes on a quest for revenge when Ron gets killed.
1. Prologue

Not entirely sure how this idea come to mind, but here it is. I don't own anything. However, I would love to thank Zaratan for beta-reading. Thanks, and enjoy.

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Prologue 

This is my sad tale of murder, deceits, betrayal and revenge. I'm not sure where to start, so I'll introduce myself. My name is Kim Possible, but it was changed when I married Ron Stoppable, a few months after we finished school, a year later, we moved to Philadelphia. We tried to live a normal life. That is, if you can call our lives normal compared to other people. As most of you are aware, we are most famous for saving the world.

About three months ago, we talked about starting a family. All of our Arch-foes were in a Maximum Security Prison, leaving us with no missions, so we thought it was a good time. It wasn't until six weeks later that I got the news that I was pregnant. It started as the best day of my life, but is was also the start of a terrible nightmare. It was the day when everything started to go terribly wrong. It was the day Ron disappeared.

It all started with a call from Ron. He was on his way, and would be home in ten minutes. An hour went by and I didn't see any sign of him. I figured that he might have stopped by for a surprise, which he did when I wasn't expecting it, but he never came home. I contacted an old friend of mine named Wade and asked him to locate Ron, through the chip that had been implanted in him, many years ago. I waited for many hours until Wade responded with dreadful news. He couldn't find Ron, as if he had just simply disappeared. I called the police and word soon reached the FBI. Agent Jared Dalton of the FBI devoted himself to help me and begin searching. For days, I grew more worried. I wasn't sure what happened until my worse nightmare came true.

Three weeks ago, they found a car that was burned. Inside there was a body and it was badly burned, beyond recognition. Through Dential Records, he was identified as Ron Stoppable. I was shocked, but the police assured me that they will find the culprit behind Ron's death. For days they followed many leads, went over the crime scene many times. I tried searching as well, with the help of Agent Dalton. We tracked down every lead we could find, every loose end, but no luck. A week ago, we finally got a break.

An anonymous tip had came in, and it lead the Authorities to a man named Spencer Simmons. He was taken into custody, and was questioned about Ron. It took many hours, but Simmons finally admitted to killing Ron. However, the day before the Trial, Simmons disappeared and hasn't been seen since.

The Authorities spent many days looking for Simmons, but Agent Dalton didn't join in the search. He still had doubts about the crime, and those that was believed to be involved. He was especially skeptical about who could have sent the tip in. I, on the other hand, tried to put everything out of my mind, but it wasn't easy. I started going through Ron's belongings, until I discovered a small box, with a computer chip. After viewing the information on it, I made a discovery that turned my world upside-down.

Right now, I'm on my way to confront the one responsible for this monstrosity, but why don't I go back to the beginning of my story, the beginning of this nightmare. From the day when I learned the reason behind Ron's death, and my quest for more then just revenge.

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Review and tell me what you think. 


	2. Chapter 1: Information

Sorry about taking so long. After I posted this story, I realized that it would be harder to do, but I'm not going to stop. BTW, everything will be from Kim's POV about past events for a while.

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Chapter 1: Information 

_**-Two Weeks Earlier-**_

It's been many days since Simmons disappeared, and so far the police had no leads, not even the FBI found anything. I had specifically asked to be notified when they had any information, but after a confrontation with one of the higher agents, I was informed that they decided against it and thought it would be best if I stayed out, mainly because they believed that my judgement would be impaired. After that I started conducting my own investigation, but I didn't find anything, so I took a small break, and drove to the cemetery to visit Ron's grave. I haven't been there since the funeral, and I needed some time alone.

I pulled over just out side the gate and got out. The cold autumn wind blew through, as I made my way passed the rows and rows of graves. Some of them were new, while others had been here longer then I've been alive. I kept walking until I finally came to Ron's grave. I dropped to my knees, and gently placed a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the headstone.

When Ron died, I made a conscious decision to hold off on mourning until I find his killer and bring him to justice. It was hard, and sometimes I almost broke down, but I was determined.

"Hey Ron. How are you doing?" I knelt there and only heard the sound of the wind blowing past my ears, and blowing my hair. A tear fell from my eye, as the emptiness within came forward. "I wish you were still here, Ron. I'm not complete without you."

I just knelt there at Ron's grave, the wind blew gently, and several leaves blew past me, and that's when I saw him. He was standing there. . .just looking at me. Right at that time, I heard someone behind me. I got to my feet and turned to see who was behind me. It was Agent Jared Dalton of the FBI. I turned back to watch the man that was watching me, but he was gone.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Stoppable." Agent Dalton addressed me.

I continued to look for the man, but I couldn't find him, then I turned back to the FBI agent. "How did you find me?"

"You weren't at home. So I thought, of the only place that you would go." He shrugged. "You wanted to be kept appraised to all leads. . .no matter how small."

I was a little surprised. No. I was shocked. Dalton had information for me? Last I knew, the FBI didn't want me anywhere near while the investigation. "So the FBI finally decided to tell me?" I asked in surprised.

Dalton shook his head. "Actually, if anyone knew that I was violating direct orders, I may lose my job." He replied.

"But why are you telling me anything?"

Dalton looked at me in the eyes, then spoke. "I have my reasons, and I would prefer that we keep this to ourselves."

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed." I told him, motioning with my hand over my mouth. Of course Dalton would go against direct order. The more someone told Dalton not to do something, the more he had to do it. So he started going behind his superior's back to provide me with as much information that I needed. I then moved onto my question. "What do you find?" I asked.

"Just a few hours ago, I received a visitor named Burton Sharpe. And he had something very interesting to say."

"Like what?" I asked.

Dalton casually shrugged. "Information on Simmons."

I was taken back by that. Dalton got information on the possible location on Simmons? There had to be something more to it, right? And even if it was accurate, might be long gone.

"According to Burton," Dalton started. "He saw Simmons with a man dressed in a black suit, and driving a black convertible, heading North-East."

I started to think. I highly doubted that this piece of information would help. It didn't matter. Any piece of information could be the big difference between losing the suspects trail, and finding 'em.

"Do we know who this man is?" I inquired.

Dalton simply shook his head. "No, Burton didn't get a good look at his face, but he did get the licence plate number. The FBI is currently searching for the car as we speak. Odds are, we might not find it, or the occupants." Dalton said, handing me a folded piece of paper and I unfolded it. Written on it was number, but more specifically a licence place number.

Unfortunately, that was everything Agent Dalton had, but I had hoped that it was enough to find Simmons. But who was this other man? Why did he have Simmons? What was the purpose? Did this mysterious man have anything to do with Ron? And if so, what? This piece of evidence only added to the countless questions I already had.

I was about to ask a question, but I didn't get the chance to when Dalton's phone rang. Dalton pulled out his cell phone and answered it. "Dalton." He listened intently as the caller spoke. "Alright, I'll be right there." He put his phone away, and signed. "I can't believe this!" Dalton was obviously frustrated about something.

"What? What happen? What's wrong?" I asked, uncertain whether I wanted to know.

"I told them never to give me another partner, _especially_ a rookie." Dalton spat out.

"Why?"

Dalton though for a moment, probably wondering if I should know. He must have decided I needed to know, when he spoke. "More then a year ago, I had a partner, best friend of mine, we were kind of like you and Ron. An unstoppable team. A good man," Dalton paused for a moment. "or so I thought. Turns out, he was planning something, and it would have taken countless lives. When I learn that he was up to something, I confronted him, but he turned on me, nearly killing me in the process. I never found out what he was planning and any shred of evidence, disappeared, along with him." Dalton stopped speaking for nearly a minute. "After that, I stopped trusting anyone." He looked at me. "But there was something about you two and it's not because you two save the world. It's something...else."

"Well. Maybe..this new partner might be different." I suggested.

Dalton scoffed at my suggestion. "I doubt that, every partner I had after him was a lazy, know-it-all kid, that didn't have respect for the proper chain of command. They never listen to anything I said, and the suspect always got away. I never found out how they made it past inspections." Dalton turned and started walking back to his car.

"Where are you going?" I called after him.

Dalton didn't turn around, but just continued to his car. "My office. I have to be prepared to meet my new," Dalton was hesitant about saying the next word like it was poison to say, but he said it anyway. "Partner." He called back.

I watched as he got to his car, and drove away. I was thankful for Dalton's help. Not only had he been a source of comfort since Ron's death, but also the assistance I needed in my own investigation. I didn't stay at the cemetery long. When Dalton was out of sight, I went to my car.

I got into my car, but I didn't start it up, yet. Instead, I activated the communicator that my friend, Wade, and my two brothers, Jim and Tim, had built into my car, along with more upgrades then the Sloth I had my Senior Year of High School. It wasn't long until I was connected to Wade.

"What's up, Kim?" Wade had made a life as a computer programer, and was the best the company ever had. If there was anything I needed to find, he was the one to go to.

I showed him the paper with the licence plate number. "Can you find the car that goes with this number?" I asked, but was confidant that he could. I had wondered on many occasions if there was anything he couldn't find.

"Got a new lead?" He asked, with great interest.

I nodded. "The car was driven by a man who had Simmons. I'm betting that if we find it, we find Simmons, and this man." With all honesty, I wasn't entirely sure if we could find the car or the occupations, but that didn't stop me from trying.

"It's going to take a while, but I'll do what I can!" Wade started the search, disconnecting in the process.

I slumped back into my seat, then noticed the time was 3:46. I didn't have time to get lunch earlier and my stomach complained from lack of food. Turning the key in the ignition, and starting the car, I left.

Traffic was worse than usual, so I went through a residential neighborhood. As I drove through, I saw many people. Married couples, more specifically, each of them was holding each others hands, while others were holding each other. One was even coming home with a newborn in her arms, as her husband helped her into their home. They were a real family. Seeing all of this didn't make me feel any better. In fact, it just made me more depressed, knowing that I may never experience the same happiness they do, but it also made me more determined avenge Ron's death.

I finally arrived at Bueno Nacho, the one place in the entire world that held a lot of my memories of Ron. This was like a second home to us. During our time growing up, we'd come here, and even once we were working here, which in retrospect, wasn't a good idea.

I parked in the parking lot and got out of my car, and walked towards the door. When I entered, I stopped. Sitting at a counter, was someone that I recognized, and whom I went to High School with. I approached her slowly. "Tara?"

Her head jerked up, and turned towards me as my approach was more quick, and I took a seat next to her. She smiled and looked kind of worried, maybe concerned, as to which I didn't understand at the time.

"Kim!" Tara exclaimed, with a slight smile. "I haven't seen you since you got married." After she had said that, my countenance fell. Tara noticed the change in my mood within seconds of her last statement and regretted it almost immediately. "Sorry."

I shook my head in disregard to her apology. "That's ok. You don't have to apologize. The only person that has any apologizing to do, is Simmons." I spat out Simmons name, like it was venom to me. I decided to changed the subject and ask why she was here. "If you don't mind me asking. Why are you here?"

"Oh, I'm just here on, business." Tara briefly paused before she said business, which made me think that there was more to her 'visit' here, but I didn't think it was alright to ask.

"Well, why don't we walk around, and catch up?" I asked my old friend, but she declined.

"I'm sorry, but I have something important to do, now. Maybe later?" She didn't look like she was doing anything but reading.

That is when I decided to pry the information from her. "What could possibly be go..." Right then and there, not only did I heard a beep, indicating that someone had entered, but that was when Tara's expression change from cheerful immediately to defensive. I turned towards the entrance to find out what was going on, and saw a scruffy looking man, with a black wool hat, and wearing casual clothes, and a beard that didn't looked like he shaved in about two weeks. That was all I need to know why Tara was concerned.

I turned back to her, and slightly covered my mouth with my hand, so it would be muffled. "Oh my gosh, you're a cop!" I whispered, but not too harshly, so as too not draw attention to us.

Tara shook her head. "I'm not a cop!" She whispered, but I knew that she was lying.

"I mean, I can't believe I didn't see it before. The paper, the vantage point, the layout, of course!" I couldn't believe the job she got, which was the last thing I expected her to be! "You got defensive when that guy walked in, you're totally a cop!"

Tara took a deep breath. "Okay, Kim, I may need you to do me a favor. It might get a little messy here."

"What is it?"

"Duck." She commanded.

I lowered my head as she pulls out her gun, and pointed the gun at the man, as several other undercover police officers rushed at the man. He was pushed to the counter, and was handcuffed within seconds. I looked and noticed that Tara's gun shook a little as she kept it pointed at the man as he taken out of the building, to a police car. When the man was taken outside, Tara seemed calm as she withdrew her weapon, and went back to her seat, to pick up her purse.

It didn't take me long to understand why Tara was shaking as she held her weapon. "First time drawing your gun?"

Tara put the weapon away in her purse, but she was looking away from me. "...Yes." She admitted, then she walked towards the door, but stopped. "You still want to talk?"

* * *

It wasn't long after we left and was walking down the street. It started out in silence. Neither one of us had any idea what to say, but Tara was the one to break the ice. 

"So," Tara started. "How is the investigation coming?"

Tara had called me when she heard, along with a lot of other people, some of which was both mine and Ron's parents, Felix and Wade, for a small example. I told them everything I knew, except that I was pregnant. I didn't want to tell anyone until the madness was over.

I shrugged. "The same as usual, but right now the FBI has a lead on Simmons."

"That's good then."

"Yeah, but it's complicated and all..." I just sort of trailed off, and just started thinking of the rest of the information I got from Dalton.

Tara looked around at me, confused when I didn't finished my statement. "What's wrong?"

"Well... Simmons was seen with someone when he disappeared. As to who this man is, I don't know." I replied.

"Don't worry, you'll find out. I mean, you always do." Tara finished with a smile.

I smiled as well, but I had a question of my own. "If you don't mind me asking, out of every career you could have chosen, why the police?" I asked with curiosity.

"Oh, that question." Tara sheepishly responded. "Well, you were always going around and helping people, and I guess I wanted to do the same. So I joined the Middleton Police Department, and worked my way to Detective. After a while, I was recruited by the FBI, and got transferred here. However, I had kind of overheard the problem the police had and offered my services."

"I assume that by 'overheard', you mean 'eavesdropped', right?" I asked in a suspicions manner.

"Overheard, eavesdropped, there's a difference, Kim." Tara casually replied.

Tara and I may not have been close in High School, only because of my Arch-Rival, Bonnie Rockwaller, but we were still good friends. I then asked her about who she was going to be partnering up with at the FBI. She thought about it for a moment, before answering.

"I think they said that his name was Jared Dalton." I stopped in my tracks, in which case Tara to stop as well. "What?"

"You're going to be working with Dalton?" I asked, with surprise.

"Yea... wait, you know him?"

"Actually, yeah. He's a friend, and he has helped me with getting me information on the case. Just don't tell anyone." I pleaded.

Tara looked confused, which wasn't unusual, seeing how she wasn't aware of what was going on. "May I ask why?"

This was the part that I didn't understand. Why didn't the FBI want my help with the investigation? I didn't know the real reason. At least, not then. "The FBI doesn't want me to have a hand with the investigation, they think that my judgement maybe clouded and that I may try to get revenge. So everyone was given strict instructions not to help me."

Tara bit on her lower lip as she pondered what I was said, then spoke. "Something doesn't seem right. They should know how essential you'd be to the investigation."

"They should, but it was made perfectly clear to me that my help was not wanted."

"But doesn't that strike you as a little odd?" Tara suspiciously asked.

Tara did have an excellent point there. When I had meet with Agent Samuel Marshall, he said that I was ordered to remain out of their way. I figured that it was just the standard FBI orders to the family of the victims, but I had a very bad feeling that something wasn't right, especially with Agent Marshall. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I decided to start my own investigation.

Our conversion was interrupted when my Kimmunicator I had on my wrist went off. I quickly answered it, hoping that Wade had some information.

When his face appeared, he started to speak barely waiting for the connection to be made, like it was very important. "I've picked up the car through G.P.S. tracking. It's currently located in a remote area, more then two hundred miles west of your location."

"Great. Let's tell Dalton and the FBI can check out the..." Wade had cut me off, and unfortunately, that wasn't all he had.

"There's more. The license plate was bogus. As for the car itself, it was a company vehicle registered to a…" Wade paused for a second as he read from his computer. "…Industrial Corporation of Technology. But that's a dead end because, apparently, they reported car missing last week. There's more to it then that, but you get the idea."

"Of course they did." I replied, dryly.

This wasn't a good sign. Whoever this man was, wanted to remain undetected and had covered his track, and covered them well. The only hope, I thought, was that the car might have some fingerprints, but even then, this mystery man might have wiped every last square inch. Still, I told Wade to get the FBI to the car as soon as possible, then I cut the line.

I noticed that Tara was on her cell phone, talking with someone, most likely her superiors. She just nodded her head, then responded. "I'll be there." She put her phone away, before speaking. "That was Agent Conner of the FBI. They found the car not too long ago. So far, they haven't found anything, but I am to report to them, immediately."

"I'll come as well." I said. "I would have a better chance of finding something then the FBI, no offence."

"None taken." Tara replied. "Let's go."

* * *

Tara and I arrived, and it was late into the afternoon, and the sun was nearing to set for the night. The sun was barely showing, from behind the trees. There were many agents, along with a few I recognized, including Agent Marshall. I shuddered when I saw him. I couldn't say that I had any respect for him. 

From the looks of it, a black car had smashed into some trees, with the passenger door wide open. Tire marks on the road indicted that the driver had lost control of the car and crashed. It was currently sitting behind some trees, and obscured from the view of the road. A question was brought to mind. How did anyone see it? No one could have seen it from the road. The only way to know that it was there was if someone got off the road and moved into the forest.

I looked towards the other vehicles, and saw a hiker, who looked like he hadn't had a decent nights sleep, or a good meal for maybe two days. His brown pants seemed a little torn, and black shirt had small holes with streaks of dirt on it, and his black hair had small twigs in it, and was really messy. He was talking with a few agents, about something that I couldn't hear, but I wasn't concerned about that.

We approached an agent, whose back was towards us, and he turned around. I groaned inwards as I recognized Agent Marshall. He had turned to acknowledge Tara, but when he saw me, he seemed rather irritated. "I thought I told you never to stay away!"

He may have been one of the top agents, but he was still an arrogant jerk. With Marshall getting more irritated just for me being here, I was tempted to give him a piece of my mind, as well as a piece of my fist, but I held back as it wouldn't help me.

Marshall had to stop when another agent approached him. "Marshall." The agent turned and acknowledged him.

"Smith, what did you find." Marshall seemed more calm.

Agent Smith gestured for Marshall to follow him. Marshall gave me a vile expression, before following Smith. Needless to say, I was relieved for him to be away from me.

Tara made sure that Marshall was well out of hearing before she leaned over. "A rather hostile reaction."

"Hmm. He must be having a bad day." There was something more to his reaction then I first suspected. I looked around, but I didn't see Dalton anywhere. When an agent passed by, I called out to him. "Is Agent Dalton here?"

The agent shook his head. "Sorry, but he said that he had something more important to do."

"Like what?"

The agent shrugged. "He only said that it was important. Nothing else."

'_That's very useful.'_ I thought sarcastically. What could Dalton be doing? Perhaps he was looking elsewhere, or maybe there was something that he wasn't telling? Something he may have been hiding.

Tara went over to the hiker, to ask questions no doubt. I decided to check out the vehicle. The paramedics had the body lifted onto a gurney. I tried to get a look at his face, but the bag was zipped up before I could get a clear look. It was obvious that he was killed instantly upon impact.

"I wonder who that was?" I asked to nobody in particular, but my question was answered anyway.

"It was Mark Baldwin." A voice said from behind me. I turned and took noticed of the person behind me. She was dressed in the usual FBI manner. Black suit, white button-up blouse and black trench coat and her black hair stopped just above her shoulders. "Sorry, I'm Agent Porter, but call me Lara." She intruded herself. "And I couldn't help but noticed that there is something between you and Agent Marshall."

"Yeah, he's evil." I looked back at the body, then back to Lara. "So, is there anything else you know of him?"

"What we know is that he was working with a company called, Industrial Corporation of Technology." Lara said. "I had it checked out, but apparently they've been out of business for the last week."

"Of course they have been." I groaned. "When was the last time he's been seen?"

Agent Porter thought about it for a minute, then responded. "About a week ago."

That was quite a coincidence. Mark was last seen the same time that the Industrial Corporation of Technology went out of business. There must be some kind of connection. But what? It might have had something to do with Simmons.

"Was there a man named Simmons in the car?" I asked.

Lara shook her head. "No. There was no one else in the car when we found it. And if he was, then he couldn't have walked away from this without a scratch. Which means that he isn't dead."

"Or his body was dragged out." I said.

It would be unusual if he was dragged out, but not Mark. And if they did drag of Simmons, why did they leave Mark? I started to think that Simmons might have been either a middle man for Ron's death, or he managed to escape from Mark. Either way, I still believed that he was still on the loose.

"Either way, he's still out there, and we need to find him." Lara looked behind me and seemed a little alarmed. "Whatever you do, don't turn around."

I don't see why anyone tells anyone not to turn around, because when they are told not to turn around, they always turn around. I groaned inward when I saw Agent Marshall. He wasn't alone. Another agent was right behind him. What was his name? I though to when I met this agent, then I remembered his name. David Sheppard. We met briefly, exchanging very few words. He was like the opposite of Marshall when it came right down to his personality.

"Ah, Mrs. Stoppable." Agent Marshall started. "You still here?"

"Yes." I tried to mask my frustration, but I was unsure if I was successful. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I had said time and again to stay away. You would do nothing but get in my way." Marshall sneered. "Just like your husband."

In one split second, something happened that I'm not entirely sure of anything. One moment I was filled with anger and my hand was forming into a fist, the next moment Marshall was on the ground with a bloody lip. I couldn't control myself. No one talks about Ron like that. Before I could strike again, at least five others came to hold me back from attacking Marshall.

"What's the matter with you?" Sheppard asked as he helped the others held me back.

"Why don't you just ask your _fearless_ leader here." I struggled with the agents holding me for a while, as Marshall stood. He wiped his lip with his hand. I managed to bloody his lip.

He looked at me with disgust. "Get her out of here."

I responded back almost immediately. "No, I'll leave on my own." I walked back to my car, as fast as I could possibly move. I did not want to be anywhere near Marshall. In fact, I want to be far from him. Unfortunately we don't always get what we want.

It was late, and the sun was already down. The only light that shone was from the moon and the stars. The house was dark, quiet, and cold. I shivered and went to close the window, but stopped. In the street I saw someone looking towards me.

He seemed familiar, but I don't remember where I saw him. Dark brown hair with a short beard, casual clothes, and he looked like he was crazy, and yet at the same time, not crazy. I couldn't tell if he actually was or not. Now I saw some pretty bizarre things in my life, but the way he was staring at me, was by far much worse then I thought possible. Like a possessed being coming after me for some unknown reason. I half expected his eyes to glow blood red.

I quickly closed the window, with the curtains so that I wouldn't see him. This was really creepy and I wanted to get to bed as soon as possible. Before I did anything, I activated the alarms Ron had gotten as a security protocol. I wasn't sure of what his intentions was, but I didn't want to risk my unborn child to come of any danger.

I went around, locking every door and window in the house, just in case the man from the street tried anything funny while I was asleep. I went to check out the front window to see if he was still there, and I was relieved to see that he wasn't there, but was somewhat disturbed. Where could he have gone, what was his intentions? I wasn't sure at the time, but I was concerned about it when I learned what it was.

I was ready for bed, and finished brushing my teeth. When I walked past the door that lead to my room to get a towel, I thought I had saw something out of the corner of my eye, just standing out in the shadows, but it didn't register in my brain until I went past the door. After all, I had the entire house locked and the alarm set, so I didn't expect anyone else to be in the house. I quickly looked back anyway to see if anyone was there, but my room was empty.

_"That's weird. I could have sworn that I saw something?"_ I thought it was just my imagination playing tricks with me, but I felt like someone was watching me, and it was creepy. I know for a fact that I found no one else inside. I finished in the bathroom, and went straight to bed, switching off the lights.

I spent some time trying to get to sleep, without success. I'm not sure exactly how long I was trying to sleep before I gave up and sat on the edge of my bed. I looked at the closet. There had been many of Ron's personal items I put there, to keep close to me. I got up and went over to the closet. After opening the door, I knelt down and opened Ron's box that was on the floor. I was going through the box looking for something, until I pulled out his red jersey. I was surprised that he managed to keep the old thing around this long, but I was also glad that he did.

After I slid it on, I couldn't help but notice a small green box, that was carefully hidden inside the closet. You could say that curiosity got the best of me and I pulled it out. Inside I found a small computer chip. Taking the chip, I went over and turned my computer on. I thought about using my Kimmunicator, but I felt that it would be best using something that doesn't have any kind of connection tp the Internet at all, and my computer wasn't connected at the time.

My computer was up in no time at all, thanks to Wade and my brothers, and I put the computer chip into the card reader. When it was in, the screen went black almost immediately.

"What just..." I stopped when a small green and blue box appeared, requesting a password. "Great." I muttered. For the next ten minutes I was trying everything that came to mind. Every possible password I could come up with, but nothing happened. "What could it be?"

I just leaned back in my seat, thinking. I didn't know what Ron was trying to hide, but nothing was going to stop me from finding out. I looked over at the picture next to the computer. I don't know why, but I grabbed the picture, and felt something engraved on the back. Turning it over, I saw some numbers.

"38694? What is that suppose..."

Something clicked in my mind. No. It couldn't be _that_ easy, could it? Even Ron would have hidden it somewhere harder to find. Unless he knew what would happen to him, and wanted me to find it. I put in the password, and it got me in. There wasn't really much. Just some files and pictures. Ron didn't seem to have anything that anyone would kill for. That is, until I noticed a file was being read as 'hidden'.

I quickly made the modifications so I could get into it. It wasn't actually a file. It was a folder labeled, Classified. I didn't care. Ron was dead, and who knows? Maybe there was something inside that could help with my investigation. I didn't know how right I was until I found out what was within. With each passing second, and each file I read, I was growing more agitated.

I couldn't believe what I found. What was happening, was far worse then what I originally thought. From that time forward, I couldn't trust anyone, but I knew that I had to trust someone. I needed to speak with Wade, but I couldn't risk using any form of electronic communication. I needed to see him in person. Thankfully, he was transferred for a few weeks and lived not to far away.

I know one thing for sure. I couldn't let anyone get or find this chip. If it was stolen and found it's way into the wrong hands, then those responsible for the death of my husband would get away with more then just murder.

This was the start of my quest, with far more at stake then I thought at first.

* * *

Well that chapter is done. Any questions, comments, suggestions and feedbacks will be accepted. 

Please review and tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 2: The Conspiracy Team

I would like to thank Data Seeker, swordbunny4486 and CajunBear73 for their reviews and for those that read anyway. I also apologize for length of time between updates. It's not really easy with this story.

And now on with the chapter.

* * *

**_Chapter 2: The Conspiracy Team_**

I pulled into a parking lot and came to a stop, in a lot in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I had questions, and I knew that Wade could provide me with answers. I was unsure of how specific the answers were, but something was better than nothing.

Before I left town, I thought about letting some friends know that I was going out of town, but I couldn't risk anyone knowing that I was gone. And it was better that these people find out I'm gone, after I left. I drove because flying was risky, and someone at either airport could've tried to take the chip.

After packing, I proceeded to make a two-day drive. Sometime along the way, in various restaurants and rest stops, I could have sworn that I saw the same car following me–with at least two people inside, but I couldn't tell if they were either male or female.

You could say that I was fortunate enough to lose the driver, but what concerned me a little bit, was if they were to find me, and what their intentions might have been.

I had arrived without incident, and I didn't see the car. I then started looking at every warehouse, trying to find the one Wade was supposed to be working in.

I was confused as to why this area of town. It wasn't actually the business part; more of the abandoned part of town. Many of the buildings looked like they should be condemned, and needed to be torn down.

"Okay, Wade." I got out of my car and walked towards the farthest warehouse. I'm not sure why I chose the farthest one. I just did. "Are you in this one?"

I reach the farthest warehouse and found a door. I was surprised that it was locked, but more so that it didn't break as I tried to kick it down.

The door looked moldy and rickety, and should have been taken down with one kick, but when I did kick it, I only succeeded in bruising my foot. It felt like kicking a door of solid steel.

Hobbling a little in pain, I backed up and looked up. There didn't seem to be a way in. I kept looking until my eyes landed on a new special camera, which was hidden just out of sight, in a shadowy area. I smiled. It was the same one that Wade had made himself.

I now knew that he was here. The question was how to let him know without using my Kimmunicator.

I got my answer when the door opened up, automatically. I started to enter, but I stopped when I thought I had heard some footsteps. Turning around, I looked across the lot. I saw nothing, and the only sound I heard came from seagulls.

I shook my head, and I quickly entered the building. The instant I entered, the door slammed shut. Disregarding the door, I looked around, only to find a lot of broken crates and scattered debris. It was a mess, and the whole place was deserted. Broken crates were scattered everywhere, and this didn't seem like an appropriate place for an office.

I had taken only a few steps when the floor boards beneath me gave out, and I fell through.

* * *

I landed on a flat surface, on my back. I lay there for a time, then, after checking to make sure I sustained no serious injuries, I sat up and looked around–and I saw something far different then the floor I was previously on. Instead of something more like a pile of debris, I found something out of the X-Files.

The outer part of the room was dark, or rather dimly lit. I didn't even see the door, or know where it was–that is, until it opened and the last person, or rather people entered, dressed in casual clothes, and nearly a few inches taller then me.

"Hey, Kim. It's . . ." started one of the two.

"Been awhile," finished the other.

I was a little surprised at seeing them here, instead of Wade, but responded in a kind manner.

"JIM! TIM! What are you doing here?!"

Ok, so I lied and was genuinely shocked to see them, especially because they weren't supposed to be on this side of the country. I hadn't seen them in ages, but it was still nice to see them.

I grew shocked when I found out what they were doing.

I shook my head. "Sorry, but let me rephrase it. You were supposed to be at Middleton's Institute of Science and Technology. What are you doing here?"

"They had to close it for a few weeks . . . " Jim started.

"After the last explosion we cause," Tim finished.

Smiling, and in an attempt to humor them, I asked, "So does that make it six or seven?"

"Actually, eleven," Jim corrected.

"For every department on the entire campus," Tim added, with a grin.

"Wait a minute," I said. "_Every_ department?"

"Yep," Jim nodded.

"But you should have been there for the last explosion that we caused," Tim started

"The entire campus was evacuated within minutes," Jim finished, sounding excited.

"Is there any place that you two haven't blown up, yet?" I asked, shaking my head, but I was smiling.

"Just a few places," Jim said.

"But we're working on it," Tim finished with a grin.

Now it was time to get serious. "What are you two doing here? And where is Wade?"

Jim and Tim exchanged looks, then looked back at me. "He's at his computer in the Command Center and he's been expecting you."

"He will explain everything, especially why we are here."

I had a bad feeling about what they were doing, and I was unsure if I wanted to know. Whatever they were doing, it probably wasn't safe. However, I still had to see Wade, so I let the tweebs lead the way.

The place was bigger then I expected it to be, especially seeing how only three people worked in here. There were many doors that led to many rooms, but I didn't go into any of them, but one, and it was the one that the tweebs led me to.

"This is it," Tim proclaimed, pointing to a grayish door.

"We've got a few things to . . ." Jim added.

"Take care of," Tim finished the sentence for him. "So we'll be going now."

I watched as both of them headed off and into one of the other rooms in the hall. Turning around, I turned the doorknob and opened the door. I took a few steps inside, and the door immediately slammed shut behind me, not that I cared much. I needed to talk with Wade.

I casually walked further into the small, dimly lit room. It contained many tables, a whole lot of computer equipment, and the distinct smell of burnt pizza crust lingered in the air. It reminded me of _JP Barrymore's Pizza Partytorium_, which I can't even begin to say how I detested that place.

My eyes darted around, until I spotted someone sitting at a computer console, with his back facing me. Suddenly the chair swivelled around, and Wade waved at me.

"Sorry about the landing," Wade said, a little meekly. "But welcome."

"What are you doing here? You said that you work for a big corporation," I said.

Wade chuckled nervously. "Y-Yeah, about that. It's not technically a corporation, but it's big."

"So big, that you couldn't say what it was earlier?" I asked, in a rather suspicious manner.

"We're supposed to remain top secret. It's that way so no one could find out about us, or know who we are," Wade answered. "We've been doing this for the past three years."

"Oh, go . . ." I stopped. "Wait, you and the tweebs created this? This entire corporation?"

"Actually, it's more of an organization," Wade corrected.

"Of just three people?" I asked, doubtfully.

"Kind of."

"Kind of?" I thought of pushing it further, but decided not to. "Well, just out of curiosity, what exactly do you guys do?"

Wade turned back to the computers and brought up many screens. There were many pictures brought up that I instantly recognized as conspiracies. Some were almost too ridiculous to be true. Of course, what Wade had shown me, was only the tip of the iceberg.

I gave him an odd look. "You three are a conspiracy theory team?"

"Yep. We've uncovered a lot," Wade said. "There are more that we've heard about, but we don't have much information to go on."

It was official. Wade and the tweebs had officially gone insane.

"On the off chance, if I were to stay long enough, would it be possible to meet Special Agent Mulder?" I asked, not exactly in the most serious manner.

"Sorry, but he's busy," Wade responded.

I did a double take, not exactly sure if he was serious or not. It sounded like he was serious, but at the same time, not serious.

"Why do you want to find conspiracies?" I asked.

"Well," Wade started, going to back the computer, "I believe that some people are conspiring on something. Not really a hundred percent sure what, but that's not what started this."

"Well, what did?"

"Let's just say that I found some things that got me to start this. I found some weird conspiracy theories, along with some interesting ones."

"Such as . . . ?" I allowed my question to linger.

"For starters, there is the President's Book."

"The _what?_" I asked, confused.

"The President's Book," Wade repeated, with emphasis on every syllable. "It's a super-secret book. A collection of documents for President's eyes only. It supposed to be filled with all of our nation's secrets. The truth behind the JFK conspiracy. The missing minutes from the Watergate tapes. And of course, Area 51. I even found some possible evidence that Mt. Rushmore was a cover-up to hide a lost Native American city."

I tried to contain myself and refrain from speaking, but I couldn't help myself. "When was the last time you saw a doctor?"

"A few days ago. Why?"

I shook my head. "Never mind. Besides, you should know all about Area 51. Ron and I've been there."

I was wondering if there was anything wrong with Wade and felt like I should get out of there, but I became still when I heard Wade's next words.

"Well, there is only one more intriguing aspect. It's about a group of people with an objective, that I haven't been able to figure out yet, but one thing I do know is that they have committed several heinous acts, such as murder in the last few years."

I felt somewhat intrigued for some reason, though I didn't understand why, but the next question I asked, removed all doubt when Wade answered.

"Do you know who they are?" I asked.

"I know of only one," Wade said, then suddenly looked dead serious as he spoke, and his response took me by complete surprise: "Ron."

Ron was one of many people murdered? I didn't get it. What had Ron ever done to them that would want them to take him off the picture, in a matter of speaking? Even the information I'd discovered a little while ago didn't have anything that explained why. Some of it was encrypted, and I couldn't crack it, like a nut with an exceptionally tough shell. I then proceeded to ask the biggest question of all:

"Why?"

Wade brought up another screen. The difference between this file and the others was the lack of information and no real pictures of barely anything. But at least there was some text.

"There isn't actually anything, but there's a rumor that he had some valuable information, and it's something about the organization. Unfortunately, it's been believed to be lost. No one knows what it was or what he did with it," Wade said.

I went on to read what information there was, and I only succeeded in finding nothing. It seemed like coming here was almost like a dead-end, but I still had one more way to find out. "I think I know where that information is." Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the chip and handed it to Wade.

Wade took the chip and looked at it incredulously. "What's on this?"

"Some information that Ron had. There are some other files there, but Ron most likely had them there to distract anyone from finding it."

Wade inserted the card into the computer card reader. Less than one minute later, Wade had full access and viewed some of the information that Ron had acquired on these people. Right now, I wish I knew how Ron got that information. It seemed almost impossible that he would have gotten it in the first place, but he has been known to surprise me, from time to time.

It took Wade a while, but he'd soon read and viewed everything, with the exception of the encrypted information. The expression on his face revealed that he was at once excited and shocked. The excited part was for the evidence he needed to prove a conspiracy, and the shock of the information in general.

"Looks like some of these people have gotten some on their men in office of the government," Wade said, somewhat excited, which just concerned me even more then I already was.

"Who are they?" I asked.

Wade grimaced. "All it says is that they have men in office, not who it is or what they do."

I groaned. I never wanted to hear those words. The only thing I wanted to hear was anything to help solve this mystery.

Wade moved on to the encrypted information, which he had a problem with. He spent more than an hour trying to decrypt the information, only to fail.

"Man," Wade groaned, after he'd failed for the umpteenth time. "This encryption program is beyond anything I've ever seen."

"But you can decrypt it, right?" I asked.

"Sorry," Wade apologized, turning to face me. "But it's like whoever knew my work, had it encrypted in a way that I would be unable to decrypt it."

I sighed a deep and heavy sigh. "Then what now?"

Wade looked thoughtful for a moment, then seemed to be struck with inspiration. "I think I might know someone who could help, but . . ." He stopped.

After a minute or so of total silence, I asked eagerly, "But what?"

"The problem with him is that he's an FBI agent."

I didn't understand, until I remembered when I went through some of the information. A few of these people had some men within the FBI, and I couldn't risk showing anyone there. I might show it to the wrong people, and possibly get killed in the process. However, I didn't have much of a chance. I needed to risk it, or these people will get away with a lot of heinous crimes.

"Who is this person?"

Wade's eyebrows rose. He was not sure what I was thinking, but all I did was nod and he understood. "His name is Alexander Blaise. He's an expert in decryption. If there's anything that needs to be decrypted, he can do it." Wade paused, then added, as something of an after thought, "Be careful."

Wade took the chip out and handed it to me. I took it and pocketed it.

"I will," I promised.

Just as I was about to leave, I spotted something on the security cameras that caught my attention. It was a man. To be more specific, the same man I saw at my house, only a few days ago. It was creepy. He still had that same crazy expression on his face.

Wade then looked where I was looking and saw the man. "Do you know him?"

I shook my head. "Not personally, but I saw him a few days ago. He was outside my home, and I don't know what he wants."

Wade looked at the screen, then proceeded to print off a picture of the man from the security camera. "I'll try to find out anything on this guy."

"Please, and thank you," I said, speaking the magical words. "Oh, by the way, think you can find something I could use to blackmail a certain FBI agent? Goes by the name of Samuel Marshall."

Wade nodded. Somehow, I knew that he knew about the run-ins I'd had with that arrogant agent. I just wanted to find something, so I could keep him off my back.

"Anything else?" Wade asked.

"Actually, yes," I said, with something in mind. "There is one more thing."

* * *

I casually stepped out of the building. I looked around, and seeing no sign of my mysterious stalker, I walked across the lot and headed to my car. I was relieved that I didn't see anyone, but that also added to my anxiety. Who knew where he was, or what he was planning to do?

I crossed the lot and got to my car without incident. I reached into my pocket and fished out my keys. As I went to unlock my car, I heard a voice from behind me, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"You better be careful when getting into your car," said a voice, that seemed to have a hint of sarcasm. "This is a dangerous city, after all."

I quickly whirled around and stood in a fighting stance. It was the same man, not only from when I was back home, but from the security camera as well. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

"Name's Greg Hanson, and I'm your biggest fan," he said, in an incredibly sarcastic tone, then he opened his blazer to reveal the white shirt underneath. "Can you sign my shirt?"

I moved to the side, prepared to defend myself, if he moved to attack. "I'll ask nicely one more time: What do you want?"

"Hmm, feisty one," Greg mused. "Your husband must have had a hard time keeping up with you. Running around the world, fighting bad guys–"

"Enough!" I shouted, cutting him off. Even with my tone, he didn't seem afraid, but more amused. "I asked nicely, but now, I don't care. What do you want?! Why are you following me?"

"I'm attracted to you," Greg said, almost instantly.

I stared at him for a second, my expression clearly stated that I wasn't in the mood. "Oh, that's not what you meant! But it does explain something."

I grabbed him by the blazer and slammed him against the car. It was harder then I intended, but my anger got the best of me. "You know, I don't care about your reasons. Get away or I will have you arrested for stalking me."

"Give me the chip and I will leave."

That effected me like being doused in cold water. "H-How did you know?"

Greg smiled as he pushed me away. "I was at your house earlier this week, but I couldn't find it."

I thought back to when I had thought that I saw someone within the shadows, just inside my room. As I thought about it for a second, the figure I though I saw, seemed really familiar, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I just figured that it was Greg.

"Wait! You broke into my house?"

"No, that would be wrong," Greg said, then paused for a second. "I had a key."

"How did you get a key? How did you even get past the security systems?" I asked, not really sure if I would like the answer.

"I have magical powers," the insane man said in another sarcastic tone, his eyes wider than I would have believed possible.

I shot him a look that was equally annoyed and frustrated. One of the thoughts going through my mind was whether he escaped from a mental institution or quite possibly, he never made it in.

"Off the record, I might have picked your pocket, when you were talking with your blond friend," Greg replied.

"I don't remember seeing you," I told him.

Greg flashed me an overly confident grin. "I'm just that good."

This was getting nowhere, really fast.

"Why are you looking for the chip anyway?" I asked, the suspicion in my voice thicker than the cheese sauce on Ron's enchilada burritos.

"Because this goes a lot deeper then you think." What surprised me was the deadly seriousness in Greg's voice. "Of how Stoppable got a hold of information that had put his life in danger, don't ask me. I'm just ordered to retrieve it."

I started to speak, but I something inside his ear. It looked like an earpiece. I'm not sure of who he was currently in contact with, but I was pretty sure that whoever it was, must have be his boss, partner or something like that.

"Under whose orders?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"All right, if you must know . . . " Greg started, but paused for one second. "It's Skywalker. Luke Skywalker."

"You're not telling me, are you?"

"Nope," Greg bluntly and almost instantly replied. "I can't say because I've never met the man." He pulled out a card and forked it over to me. "Call me when you decide to give it." With that, he walked away.

"As if," I muttered.

Greg turned around and smiled, like he was amused. "You'll give it to me." Then his expression and tone changed to say that he was serious, but in a sickeningly humorous way. "That is, unless you don't care about your precious bundle of joy."

I was nearly paralyzed with shock. I made it a point not to say anything. I didn't know why I decided not to say anything. And if there was anything about this man, he would have to be a part of the organization and found out about my pregnancy to blackmail me. I was determined not to let them get away, or to push me around.

I wanted to run and stop him, but I didn't. I just felt like I couldn't move. All I did was just watch as he walked away, until he turned the corner. I wanted to say something, but I didn't.

My shock slowly dissolved into anger, and my hand involuntarily balled into a fist. No one, and I mean _no one,_ threatens my loved ones without inciting my wrath.

I ran over to the corner, in an attempt to stop him. However, when I turned the corner, I slid to a stop. He was nowhere in sight. It seemed that he disappeared into thin air. With the exception of the wind, water and seagulls, I didn't hear anything. I didn't even hear the sound of a car driving by.

I didn't see many people walking, and not any real places to hide. Some of the parked cars remained right where they were, and it didn't look like any cars had driven off recently.

I ran back to my car to search for him. I don't know how he could just disappear like that, without leaving something behind to show where he could have gone. But he left nothing.

After getting into my car, I drove around and spent the next hour searching for Greg. But to this day, I never saw him again.

* * *

That's about all. I'm pretty sure that I've raised more questions, without actually answering any or much questions. However, I've been wrong more times then I care to admit.

Kim has arrived and got more then she bargained for, and maybe a migraine.

As for Greg, I need a crazy man after all. As to what is with him, it will be revealed in my due time. All I can say is that it won't be pretty.


	4. Chapter 3: Unexpected Allies

Wow! Nearly a year between updates. This chapter wasn't easy to do for most of the time but after reconsidering how I was going to do the chapter, it took about two months to do. Ironic. Hopefully I can get the next chapter done much sooner than this one. Well here it is, the 3rd chapter.

My thanks to Belrevan, screaming phoenix, Data Seeker and CajunBear73 for the reviews, and those that read anyway.

And I also want to thank my sister, Shorty Mcgee, for taking the time to beta for me.

Onward to the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 3 - Unexpected Allies

I just couldn't figure it out. How did Greg just disappear like that? Where could he have gone? Who was he working for? What were his intentions? Those questions would have to wait as I left Atlantic city and drove to the FBI headquarters in Washington D.C.

I couldn't trust anyone as I drove on the highway. Every one on the road could be out to kill me, as far as I know. No matter how friendly the people in the cars looked.

I kept my concentration on the road but I couldn't help but look around to keep a lookout for anyone attempting to drive me off the road.

What really concerned me was the lack of traffic, especially because it was late in the day. There should've been dozens of cars but all I saw was several black SUVs with tinted windows.

I did not like the look of this sitch. I had a really bad feeling about this.

I looked back to the SUV several car spaces in front as it turned and slowed down. I attempted to turn but two others blocked me, with another coming up behind me. They had me boxed in but I wasn't going to allow them to succeed.

I turned the wheel hard, hoping to smash up an SUV to escape. I succeed and the car spun off to the side. I grinned as the car came to a halt and saw in the mirror at the damage I caused. Thankfully the upgrade Wade and the Tweebs did to my car, it didn't even get a scratch.

Unfortunately, another SUV closed the gap to take the first SUV's place.

I looked around, looking for anything or anyone that could stop these people, but nothing. There were no other cars on the road other than mine, and whoever these people were. I begun to suspect that they might have had people within the police. How else would I explain that lack of a police presence?

The window lowered of the adjoining car to my left, and one of the people pointed a handgun in my direction. He was dressed like an FBI agent but the sunglasses he wore hid his identity. He pulled back on the trigger and the bullet struck the bulletproof window Wade put in. The bullet barely put a crack in the window. He emptied the entire clip trying to kill me but no bullet penetrated the window.

I couldn't think of all the times Wade's creations saved my life, and he continues to save my life.

The man threw the gun, and pulled out another weapon. It looked like a pole nearly two meters long, with a jagged edge. I looked at it with a ludicrous expression. He really thought that would break through the window.

Then the edge started sparking with electricity and he thrust it at my window. I pulled my head back at the edge broke through my window, shattering it and would've killed me if it actually hit me.

With one hand on the wheel, I used the other to grabbed the pole, and held onto it with all my strength, while trying to take it. It was hard to concentrate, with my window broken, the wind kept blowing my hair around and even in my face. I had to let go of the pole and reached for the communicator, and activated it. All I got was static.

"Don't even bother, Mrs. Stoppable." I turned and face the same man as he attempted to stab me with the same pole. "Your communications are being scrambled, so don't expect to get any help."

I dodged the attack, and pressed a button on the steering wheel and activated the auto-drive. Now with both of my hand free, I grabbed the pole as he made another attempt but used both hands to seize the weapon from my attackers.

I attempted to remove the jagged edge from the pole, but my attention was drawn to the roof of my car as the sound of someone jumping onto it.

"If that's how you want to play, I'm game!"

I jerked the car, ramming into the side cars but that didn't knock the person on top of my car off, neither did it drive the cars off the road.

The person on the roof of my car slowly made their way to the front of my car, and something came to my mind. Shutting off the auto-drive, I slammed on my breaks, smashing into the car behind me, and throwing the man off my car.

The car I smashed into was worse than it appeared, and it appeared that one of it's tires had popped. The other three cars stopped. I didn't want to stay around much longer. I slammed on the gas and started driving as fast as I can before the people in the last three cars try to get that chip. I looked at the man in my rearview mirror. It was obvious of how mad he was, but all I did was smirk.

It didn't take long for those people to catch up with me. They managed to get a car right next to me. I looked in the mirror and saw another man climb out of his car and jump onto mine.

"Don't you people ever learn?" I wasn't talking about anyone in particular.

I had to set the auto-drive again, then as a second thought, I grabbed the pole I had taken from them and then climbed out onto the roof. It was time to take the fight to them, personally.

He may have been several inches taller than me, but that didn't stop me. I twirled the pole around and held it out and stood in a fighting stance, keeping both feet on the roof.

The man came at me. I couldn't believe that he did that stupid he was, until I saw a small pole barely several inches long, extend to nearly two meters. Only the jagged edge at the end looked more lethal than the one I had, and longer.

He swung the blade at me but I blocked with my own weapon. His attempts to hit or kill me was blocked every time.

"Who are you?" I demanded, knocking the weapon from his hands. "What are you planning?"

The man grabbed my weapon but I held a firm grip on it, determine to keep it. "You'll never find out, or live long enough to stop us."

"That's what every villain says," I yelled at my attacker as he struggled for control of the weapon, over the rushing wind. "And I still stop them."

"It's impossible to stop us now." The man shouted. "Everything is set in motion. You can't possibly win!"

"They why are you people so determined to stop me?"

The man didn't respond. Instead he managed to kick me, then released his grip on the weapon. I felt over the side of the car. Reacting quickly, I jammed a hand and my feet to the car, using the new and more powerful Magno-rings Wade had designed years ago to keep from hitting the ground.

I looked back up at the man, and even at the car coming at me. Even from behind the tinted windows, I saw one of them pulled out a gun from their holster. I didn't have time for this. I activated the electricity within the pole, and stabbed the pole into the tire.

There was a loud pop and the car swirled out of control, and smashed into another of their own car. Both cars were out of commission. Only one car, and the man on my roof remained.

The sound of a .45 caliber caught by attention. I was lucky enough to hear it over the rushing wind. I looked up and saw the man take aim. With my weapon gone, I didn't have much else to defend myself with. I wasn't sure how I would get myself out of this mess.

The next thing that I heard, was two gun shots. I looked up at the man as his now lifeless body fell from my car.

I didn't know what had happened but I climbed back to the roof of my car. I looked around, trying to find the source of the gunfire.

Then I saw it.

Another black SUV, but with much darker tinted windows. I couldn't see who was inside but I saw an arm with black sleeves of a standard FBI wardrobe. Whoever it was, took aim with a .45 caliber at the last car, and fired at it.

The last of the SUVs swerved and came to a halt. I didn't see what happened to the car that came to my rescue. After the person inside stopped the vehicle and saved my life, had sped away.

I climbed back into my car, and attempted to follow the SUV. I didn't know who it was but I suspected that the person, or people in the car knew something. Otherwise why did they come and save me, especially when I was attacked? I suspect that these two people were of two different organizations, and one of them couldn't risk having me killed. Or they opposed the people that tried to kill me.

I drove as fast as I could but I had to be careful. Any police officer on the road might be with these people. Despite of how far I went, I didn't find the SUV.

What I don't think the driver didn't expect of me, was for me to get their licence plate number.

* * *

After many long grueling hours, I finally arrived at the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building. It was time to meet with Agent Blaise. I also had to watch out, incase Agent Marshall just happen to be here. If he was, then at least I could use an excuse to talk with Tara.

After I parked my car, I casually made my way to the building and entered the building. People reporting crimes, some going about their business, receptionists taking calls and reports from Agents. I could hear most of what was being said as the voices echoed throughout the vast room.

I looked around, as I made my way over the a receptionist, who was busy with a phone call. I stood next to her desk, and waited.

"Hold on a sec." The receptionist pressed a button on her phone, then looked up at me. "Can I help you?"

"Is there an Alexander Blaise here?" I asked the receptionist.

"Hold on." The receptionist typed some keys into her computer, then scrolled down. "Yes he is. Is he expecting you?"

I nodded. "He's expecting me."

I didn't want to lie, especially in the headquarters for the FBI but I didn't know if I could truly trust her. For all I knew, she was with this organization.

The next thing she did alarmed me. She changed lines on the phone and spoke into it.

"Agent Blaise. You have a visitor."

I was sure he would say that he wasn't expecting anyone, and that would've put me into a lot of trouble, that I could risk being put in. I was about to back off, with an excuse that I kept prepared, but that changed in an instant as the receptionist place the phone on the receiver.

"He's been waiting for you. Third floor, down the hallway." The receptionist informed me. "His is the fifth door on the right."

"Thank you."

I turned and headed to the elevator. The door opened and I had to try and blend in with a small group of people, as Marshall got off. Off all the people I encountered today, Marshall was the worse. I intended not to be seen by him.

I managed to sneak around and to the elevator without being seen, but I stopped when I heard him speak to someone. I turn a quick look, and saw him beckoning at Lara Porter. I didn't know what was going on, but decided to follow them as they rounded a corner. I followed them as far as I could, but stopped when they faced each other.

"I just go a call." Marshall started. "They failed to kill her."

"It's not surprising, especially how well trained she is." Porter simply replied. "And help did arrive for her."

"Right when she needed it." Marshall added.

"What now?" Porter inquired with uncertainty, and concern? I wondered what her concern was for? What nearly happened to me, or that I survived. "What do we do?"

"You do what you've agreed to do, and I'll keep Kim from... interfering... with our plans."

Porter scoffed at Marshall's intentions. "And you've done so well in the past to keep her from getting involved." The level of sarcasm in her voice was exceedingly high.

"She's much more stubborn than the stories we were told." Marshall's tone implied that he was really annoyed, which I couldn't help but smile. As long as Marshall was annoyed, then I was happy. I also had to wonder how they had to be told about me, when I was supposedly known all around the world.

"How do we keep her find getting any deeper?" Porter asked.

There was a moment of silence before Marshall spoke. "I think I might have a way of... persuading... her." He stated. "If only she knew what she is getting herself into."

I didn't hear anymore after that. When I went around to confront them, they had somehow disappeared. I didn't see where they could've gone, and there were no other way out, except in my direction.

What I didn't understand was what they were talking about and what they meant by 'what I was getting myself into'. I didn't know what the danger was, but I needed to see Agent Blaise to find out.

I went back to the elevator and went up to the third floor. Walking down the hallway, I stopped at the fifth door, and entered. I saw a man I knew was Alexander Blaise. He was how I expected him to be. FBI wardrobe, brown hair with a little bit of white mixed with it and wearing glasses. Just from looking at him, he seemed really concentrated on his work.

"Agent Blaise?"

He stopped and looked up at me. "If it isn't the famous Kim Possible." He stopped and corrected himself. "Wait! Kim Stoppable. What brings you all the way to see me?" He paused, then added. "Uninvited, I might add."

I stepped forward and took a seat in one of the two chairs, just in front of the desk. "I actually came to ask for help in decoding something. Something Wade couldn't."

Blaise shot an over confidence expression. "Wade Load can't decode something? Never thought I would live to see the day when there was something he couldn't do."

I pulled out the chip and held it out so he could see. "I found some information, which could be used to find out who killed my husband, and why."

Blaise looked really annoyed, then took out paper and a pen and started writing. "I know that you were ordered to stay out of this investigation. So why don't you do as you're told, and go back home, where you won't get in our way."

I couldn't believe this guy! Wade wouldn't have sent me to him if he wasn't going to help. I expected him to help and this is how he treats me? I half expected his appearance to dissolved and to see Marshall in his place.

How I felt transferred into my expression. Anyone watching would know how furious I was. I wanted nothing to do but to knock some sense into the man. I didn't get the chance before he pushed the paper in my direction, got out of his seat and walked to his office door.

"If you'll excuse me, I have a late lunch to get to. I trust that you could find you're way to where you should be?"

I didn't answer but just watched as Alexander left his office. My frustration kept building as I stood with the intent of leaving but I stopped. I turned and looked at the paper he left on his desk and looked at the note, and all frustration vanished when I read the note.

'Stanton Park 3 PM.'

* * *

Blaise didn't exactly leave further instructions as to where exactly he would be or how I would find him but I went to Stanton park. I was several minutes early but that didn't matter as I found Blaise. He was just sitting on a park bench, reading a newspaper. I casually approached him, trying not to draw unnecessary and took a seat next to him.

Blaise spoke to me but he was just reading from the paper. "You know, it says here that by 2075, the planet's oceans will be too warm to sustain most coral reefs, and once they're gone, the entire ecosystem of the planet will collapse."

"That's a cheerful thought." I replied.

"You spend all of your time trying to protect the world from supervillains, maybe you should worry a little more about protecting it from everyone else."

"What are we doing out here, Agent Blaise?" I got right to the point.

"My office is bugged." He replied. "It's standard procedure to record all conversations that take place in FBI headquarters. What I'm about to tell you, Mrs Stoppable, nobody else can know, especially my superiors."

"What are you talking about?" I asked with slight concern.

Alexander put down the newspaper and looked at me, earnestly.

"There's a mole in the government. FBI, CIA, you name it, they have someone somewhere." Alexander revealed. "An organization that operates outside the law, committing crimes too heinous to even mention. They call themselves The Crusaders. They're a bunch of Religious Zealots, and it's time they were stopped and brought to justice."

"I agree." I nodded.

"Your husband being murdered, that was the last straw. We lost a lot more than a human being" Alexander continued. "After that, I was called to the White House for an assignment."

"What does this have to do with Ron?" I questioned him.

"Ron was working with me." Blaise answered. "Somehow he gained information that put his life in danger and was about to meet me to give me that information. It would be enough to bring down the entire organization."

"So who else knows about this?" I pressed for more answers.

"As of this moment, the President, a few members of his staff, and you." He answered.

"You're working alone?" It was louder than I should've been but Blaise didn't seem worried.

"The smaller the operation, the less chance of it being compromised." Blaise simply responded. "You have no idea how far the corruption goes, Mrs Stoppable."

"Then you're taking a big risk talking to me."

"I need that chip." Alexander said. "It should give me enough evidence to find them and take them down."

I had to take a second to think on the matter. On one hand, Alexander Blaise could've been working with these people to trick me to give them the chip. On the other hand, I didn't have time to be second guessing every discussion that was placed before me.

I pulled the chip out of my pocket and gave it to him. "Where do we go to decrypt it?"

Blaise simply smiled. "Let's just say, I don't decrypt things on my own, and there is someone that owes me many favors, and you're not going to like who it is."

I scoffed. "I seriously doubt that."

* * *

Next time Blaise said I'm not going to like something, I'll agree and not say any more. I sat, looking down at the monitors of the security camera as they brought in the one man I didn't expect to see for years, and hoped not to see for the rest of my life.

"Prisoner #63890, you have visitors." The guard said in a commanding tone.

He just snared and spoke with irritation. "My name is Dr. Drakken, and I am not a number." The guard started to speak but Drakken must have known what the guard was going to say because he spoke first. "And for the last time, this is not 'The Village'!"

The guard didn't respond but just grinned as he took Drakken from his cell and out of the camera's view. Blaise lingered for a moment, then walked out of the room, with me right behind and into the interrogation room to wait for Drakken.

This should get interesting.

The door opened as Drakken was lead in. I managed to keep a straight face, which Drakken couldn't keep from being both surprised and arrogant at seeing me.

"So Kim Possible has come to see me." Drakken was trying to mock me, I could feel it but I wasn't going to let him.

What amused me was the lack of information he had gotten since being sent to prison.

"I'm married." I brandished my wedding ring from Ron. Ron. I couldn't stop thinking about how much I missed him, and how much it hurt to not have him with me right now.

Drakken didn't seem surprised in the least bit. "So you got married. Big deal! Like I care." Almost instantly Drakken threw himself at the one-way window and started screaming. "HOW COME I NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS?!!!"

I looked back at Alex and said with a deadpan expression. "So much for not caring."

Drakken calmed down a bit and took a seat across the table from me. "What would make Kim..." He stopped for a second, then pointed a finger at me. "What is your name now?"

"It's Stoppable." I informed him. "I married my best friend."

Drakken's eyes widen as far as they could go in complete shock. "You married the buffoon? Why would you possibly..."

He stopped when he got a good look at my expression, which clearly said that if he kept talking about Ron that way, then he'd be lucky if he didn't get taken out of the room in a body bag.

"That's a, um, wonderful name." Drakken had a huge yet scared grin on his face.

I knew he was trying to flatter me, hoping not to entice my wrath. That wasn't going to work.

Drakken then nervously cleared his throat before speaking. "What would make Kim," He paused and tried to say Stoppable, like the word didn't make any sense. I was beginning to understand why no one remembered Ron's name, other than Monkey Fist. Eventually he gave up. "What would make you come to see Dr. Drakken." He clearly put himself in the third person.

"You know, it has been clinically proven that referring to yourself in the third person is a sign of mental instability, right?" Alexander couldn't help himself at watching Drakken react.

Drakken growled, gritting his teeth. "Just answer the question."

I didn't waste time getting to the point. "I need some help with decrypting some information on an organization."

"There are hundreds of organizations." Drakken waved off the request. "And besides, I'm not permitted to have any access to any computer at any time."

"I can help with that." Alexander offered. "As long as you continue to help us."

Drakken scoffed. "I'm not surprised that you need my help again. It's true that no one can do anything without me."

"So you'll help with the decryption?" I inquired, trying not to show my eagerness. If he knew how eager I was, then I'm sure I'd never hear the end of it. "You'll help us stop this organization?"

"Like I said, there are hundreds of organization." Drakken retorted. "You'll have to be more specific."

"They call themselves 'The Crusaders'!"

Something happened that completely caught me off guard. Drakken froze with fear. I could see it in his eyes. I swear I could practically feel the fear coming from him. I always saw how Drakken would be scared and that was when Shego was irritated. This was something completely different. He had to know about The Crusaders if he was this terrified at the mere mention of their name.

If Drakken was really this terrified, then I knew that I found a possible ally against The Crusaders. The only problem I had at the time was how cooperative he would be in my investigation and my search for revenge.

"I've only heard about them in passing." Drakken said with a stutter, masking a lot of the fear in his tone.

"You don't get that scared of someone you only heard about 'in passing', Drew." I mocked, the mock was just a cover to hide my fuming anger over my husbands murder.

"Besides, you were never that scared of Shego. Who are they?" I pushed.

"I've never crossed paths with them, and I would like it to stay that way." Drakken said adamantly.

"Okay, you don't have to say anything, but I ever find them, I could convince them you DID talk." I threatened, then turned to walk away.

"You wouldn't!" Drakken challenged.

"RON IS DEAD!" I screamed at him, then calmed down. "I'll do what ever I have to do. And if that means throwing you to the sharks. So be it!"

I grinned as I saw Drakken fall to his knees, and started begging. "Please don't! I'll do ANYTHING! I'll stop trying to take over the world! I swear! Please don't tell them about me!"

I turned around and had an innocent expression on my face. "I thought you didn't know much about them?"

"Sounds like Drakken knows a lot about them." Alex stated the obvious. "At least, enough to be scared of them."

"Fine, so I met them." Drakken finally admitted but because more fearful. "But you don't want to mess with them."

"What are they planning?" I demanded with more anger than I wanted to use.

Drakken was taken aback from my outburst. "I don't know, but if you want me to help you, then you have to get me out of here." He suggested but sounded more like he was demanding. "If they find me, then they'll kill me. They make Shego look like a playground bully."

I didn't want to risk antagonizing him, no matter how easy he made it. I also began to understand more of how Shego managed to come up with so many sarcastic comments working with Drakken.

Agent Blaise pull a cell phone from his pocket. "I can arrange that. But no holding back on us. If we go down, then you'll be next. Deal?"

"Fine." Drakken didn't like the conditions but would rather get out of prison then remain.

Alexander dialed in a number and waited for a minute before he got through. "Agent Blaise. I have a request for the President."

Alexander remained on the line for a little while, then started speaking. "Sir, I need a favor, and I'm sure you won't like it."

* * *

Well, well. It looks like Kim's list of allies seems to grow thin, and strange at the same time. What could Marshall and Porter be up to? What are the Crusaders planning? Who came to Kim's rescue? And just what is their purpose?

Please review with any questions, comments, concerns and/or constructive criticisms you may have. They help and inspire me a lot. No flames and keep it clean.


	5. Chapter 4: Dark Revelations

Wow! An update and much sooner than the previous chapter. I never thought I'd get it done this quickly. Anyway.

My thanks to AngelInTrianing, Data Seeker, screaming phoenix and CajunBear73 for the reviews, and those that read anyway.

And I also want to thank my sister, Shorty Mcgee, for taking the time to beta for me.

Onward to the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 4: Dark Revelations

It took longer than I expected it be to get Drakken out of prison. Who would've thought that the President of the United States would've had mixed feelings about letting a known criminal out of prison. Especially when he found out that it was Drakken.

What had alarmed me was when Alexander had learned and told me that someone had broke Shego out of prison not too long ago. No one knew who broke her out or how. Just the guard discovering her cell empty, and still intact. The security cameras didn't even come up with anything. That one fact was what made the President hesitant about letting Drakken go to help with the case, until I promised to keep an eye on him.

Drakken no longer wore his blue lab coat, and we agreed not to call him by his villain name. I didn't want to attract any attention, and neither did Alexander. That was the last thing we want to do.

It would be hard not to attraction with his blue skin but some things we couldn't do anything about it.

The unfortunate thing was that in order to try and blend it, we might have to stand out a little bit. That was where Agent Blaise obtained some FBI uniforms for Drew and myself.

We left the prison and walked down the steps to my car, which I utilized the camouflage system to disguise it. It now looked like the standard vehicle used by FBI agents. Unless someone took a closer look, then we shouldn't attract too much attention.

"So where do we go?" I inquired of my _allies_. I use the term allies loosely because I would be working with a criminal, and a FBI agent on a secret assignment.

"We just need a computer to decode the information." Drew simply answered.

"But how long do we have before the Crusaders find out what we're doing?" I asked.

"Seven hours, and thirty-eight minutes." Alex replied, without much thought.

"Really?" I asked, getting into the drivers seat.

"How about no arbitrary numbers." Drew angrily retorted, getting into the back seat.

"It's a rough estimate." Alex replied as he got into the passenger's seat.

I ignored both of them as I turned the key and the engine started. I started to pull out but stopped. I saw the same car that came to my aid on the highway. There were a lot of SUVs on the road but I could easily recognize it, right down to it's tinted windows, and the licence plate.

I watched as the vehicle turned around the corner. It was already far enough down the street that I wouldn't be able to catch it. And when I had gotten down there, I wouldn't be able to find it.

I wondered if Wade found out anything with the licence number from the car that saved me, I had sent him. I got my answer after I pulled out and started driving. The communicator came out of the dashboard and Wade appeared on the screen.

"What's the sitch, Wade?"

"I searched the licence plate number on every database I could find." Wade announced. "And the vehicle was registered to your stalker."

"Greg Hansen." I said before Wade could. "What do you have on him?"

Wade didn't get a chance to continue before Drew spoke with surprise.

"Hansen!" Drew exclaimed. "Greg Hansen! You met him?"

"You know him!?" I couldn't be sure if I was surprised or not. "How do you know him?"

"Because he's a wanted man." Alex simply said. "Charged with murder in the first degree."

"And before that," Wade begun reading from his computer. "He's a Neurologist, one of the best in the country. He took his job seriously, and his life. Then one day, his family was found dead in their home. His personally seemed to dramatically change over night and he was never the same. All the evidence were mounted against him but he disappeared before his trial. He hasn't been seen since then."

"Until now." I mumbled.

"Could he be working with the Crusaders?" Alex suggested.

"No way to tell." Wade shook his head.

"Maybe we do." Alex reached into his pocket and took the chip out. "This might have the information about the exact people with the Crusaders."

"I hope your right." I said to Alex. "Wade, we've also got another problem. Someone broke Shego out of prison. Can you try to find out who it was?"

"We're on it, Kim." Wade disconnected the link. He had also meant that the tweebs would help. Three geniuses working together would get things done quickly.

I then changed the subject, and directed my question to Drew about something that was on my mind since I learned that he knew about the Crusaders. "How did you learn about the Crusaders, Drew?"

"It was after my so-called-friends laughed at me." He began his tale. "I couldn't control my anger so I quit collage. I ran into the Crusaders when I was trying to make my flight. They gave me an offer I wouldn't refuse."

"Let me guess;" I said, having an idea as to where this was going. "You help them, and they help you let your 'genius' be recognized to the world?"

Drew looked surprised, and blinked a few times. "Yes, how did you..."

"Lucky guess." I admitted. "What did they need your help with?"

"They needed my genius to help them set in motion," Drew trailed off, like he was unnerved by what he was about to say and scared of telling us.

"Set in motion, what?" Alex asked with suspicion.

Drew mumbled something incoherent. This was getting annoying.

"What?" I demanded. I didn't like where this was going.

"W-World War III." He finally revealed.

I slammed on the breaks and brought the car to a screeching halt. Many cars swerved to avoid smashing into me. Some shouted at me while others honked at me but I didn't even pay attention to what they said. I turned around and glared at Drew.

"What did you say?!"

Drew was nervous from the scrutiny I was giving him.

"T-they want to s-start World War III." He stuttered.

"Why?" Alex demanded.

"I don't know." Drew shouted with distress in his tone, hiding behind his arms, like he expected us to attack him. "They didn't tell me everything they planned, I had to do some digging to find out what their plan was."

I looked at Alex, and he looked back. I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

World War III.

A war that could cost the lives of millions of innocent people. Maybe even billions of innocent lives.

The question was why? Why did they want to start the Third World War? I knew there were many reasons but the main reason I didn't know.

What I did know, was that we had to find out and stop them before it was too late.

* * *

I continued driving to an abandoned part of town, where Alex and Drew could work and obtain the information we need. I had no choice but to suspect that anyone could be a Crusader. We couldn't trust anyone but each other, and even then I couldn't really trust them. I didn't have much of a choice at the time, though.

"Right here." Alex pointed to a building that seemed like it wasn't taken well care of but enough to keep it from being condemned and torn down. It was on a lot with no buildings close to it. The building had a fence keeping the nearly building away, which was more than fifty feet away. "You two want to feel privileged? No one, not even my superiors knows about this place."

"That's good." I told him but couldn't wonder if someone had found out about this place only to not say or do anything until the right time.

I turned to the side of the road, across the street from the building. Within minutes, we had entered the building and went to the top floor of the building.

Alex produced a key and unlocked the door. We entered the room and it was bare. Nothing was inside but a computer desk and a computer. Until I noticed a fridge.

"Anyone hungry?" Alex asked, opening the fridge.

"We don't have time." I reminded him.

Drew just couldn't keep his mouth shut and said, "I could have someth..." Then he stopped talking when he saw the death glare I was giving him. "Um, I mean that, um,..." He stammered then shouted, "We don't have time."

Alex shrugged, completely unfazed by the changed and false outburst. "Suit yourself." He took out a strawberry yogurt, then reached behind the milk and removed a wrapped floppy disk taped to the top of the fridge. Alex walked to the table and sat down.

"What's that?" I asked.

"If anyone tries to boot the computer up without this disk the whole thing fries." Alex answered as he inserted the disk and turned on the computer, while eating his yogurt.

It took a while for the computer to boot up. And it didn't take long before Alex had the chip ready as he started loading up the files, while starting the decoding process, simultaneously. I just watched over his shoulder. I did not know what I would find and I was not about to miss anything important.

It took a while for the decoding program to finish, and we were in. Ready to gather all the information we could get.

"Let's see what's what." Alex said as he opened up the file but was stopped with an error. "For crying out loud!"

"What's wrong?" I asked, feeling the panic rising within me.

"It's corrupted." Alex said, and opened up the first of the files.

"Now there's a shocker." I casually and sarcastically said. I wasn't surprised that something went wrong. What did it ever go completely right?

It took a while for Alex to make a complete diagnosis of the information on the chip. "At least we've got about ninety-two percent of the information."

"But we're missing eight percent!" Drew stated the obvious.

"Really, what was your first clue?" Alex shot a glare at Drew, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"That eight percent could be containing their plans." Drew got right to the point that had also concerned me.

"Well that _eight percent_ is lost data, and I can't get it back." Alex informed us. "We're going to have to go without."

I would've suggest seeing what Wade could do so we could get that information, but that would mean the possibility of someone within the Crusaders finding us and hunting us down.

"As much as I hate to say this," I spoke up. "but we're going to have to make due with what we have."

"I agree." Alex said. "If we ask Wade for help, then that might be the last thing we do."

The look of Drew's face suggested that he wanted to get that lost information but I remained him that time might not even be on our side.

The look on Alex's face brighten when the screen changed. His fist shot into the air and he shouted, "Yes!"

"What?!" Drew and I impatiently demanded.

"I won a bet!" Alex excitedly replied.

I was speechless with much annoyance and irritation but I manage to ask, "How is that important to what's happening now?"

"Well with this information, some conspiracy theories that no one can answer, can now be answered." Alex replied.

"Like what?" Drew asked with curiosity, missing the scowl I was giving.

"Like the bet I made, involving the John F. Kennedy assassination, for one."

"You've got to be kidding me?" I asked, skeptical about that piece of information.

"I'm not kidding." Alex casually replied then went back to the computer and the information. "Apparently, Kennedy found out about them and attempted to stop them. Only he didn't get far before they killed him, leaving a man names Lee Harvey Oswald as the patsy, who claimed he was just a patsy."

"So apparently Lee Harvey Oswald was telling the truth." I mused to myself.

Alex continued to read. "After Lee Harvey Oswald was killed, the Crusaders found out that Kennedy had actual, physical evidence that could bring down their entire organization but they couldn't find it."

That caught my attention and held onto it for a long time. If we could find it, then I could avenge Ron. The only problems we had was that it was the evidence would be more than forty years old, and might not be of any use. And if it could still be used, where could it be now? It's been more than forty years and could be anywhere.

The next thing Alex said, helped a lot with where we might be able to start looking for that information.

"However, they found out that someone had that evidence and killed the entire family a while ago, but one..." Alex read but trailed off.

"What?" Drew asked after a moment of silence.

Alex grimace. "Sorry but that part was corrupted and I don't know what it was."

I let out a groan. If that part wasn't corrupted, then this would've been over already but my quest for revenge went on longer than I would've like. However there was something I wanted answered.

"Is there a list of people within the organization?" I asked.

Alex hit some keys on the keyboard and brought up a list. "Anyone in particular?"

"Samuel Marshall and Lara Porter." I answered.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "I can understand Marshall, but Porter?"

"It's complicated." Was all I said. I didn't want to tell him about what I overheard.

Even though he didn't understand, Alex complied and searched throughout the entire database. No matches came up.

"Sorry but neither of them are within the list." Alex answered.

"What about Greg Hansen?" Drew reminded us.

Alex searched through the database but came up with nothing. Like the last time.

"Could this list be incomplete?" I asked.

"It's the complete list as far as I know." Alex checked over the entire file. It wasn't corrupt. Nothing was missing from the list. Nothing we knew about.

I was confused. If they weren't on the list then who did they belong to and what side were they on?

"How about a Bonnie Rockwaller." I suggested, trying to make a joke out of it but I was more serious than ever. I completely expected her name to show up but I was disappointed. It wasn't there. Needless to say, I had hoped that she was with the Crusaders so I had a good reason to take her down.

Alex searched through the entire database of whose a Crusader. The profiles of every single member. I was relieved that Jared Dalton wasn't a member. When I learned that the FBI director was a Crusader, it became clear as to how people who shouldn't be an FBI agent made it in. More so when those that were about to make it in was a Crusader themselves.

I just looked over, until one profile caught my attention, and it shocked me to the core. My hand stopped Alex when my eyes landed on the picture.

"Do you know this person?" Drew asked, pointing at the picture.

My mind seemed to scream as I just stood there in shock. I couldn't believe who it was. She was my friend. But now it seems that she has just become my enemy.

I slowly nodded and finally responded. "I thought I did. Now I'm not so sure."

The woman in the photo was Tara O'Hara. On her profile, she was 3th in line from leadership. I felt torn. I was unsure of what her objectives were but I wanted to find out.

"Look at this." Drew pointed something out that was of great interest.

I was brought back to the information by Drew when he pointed out a separate list of people. It was a list of people used by the Crusaders. I recognized most of these people. They were killed in various circumstances, but according to the list, only one was still alive.

"Spencer Simmons." I pointed to the photo.

Alex entered the section of the file, and I looked over the information on Simmons. I wanted to know what part he played in this. I didn't find anything of use but that didn't change my determination to hunt Simmons down.

"Take a look at this." Alex highlighted some of the words and read them out loud but more paraphrased it. "They had Simmons do a lot of things, and plan something when he's done."

"Does it say what their plan is?" Drew asked, breathing down Alex's neck.

Alex was obviously annoyed not by the question, but what Drew was doing.

"Yes, of course. It says right here." I could hear the sarcasm coming from Alex's voice as he continued. "'We, the Crusaders, plan to throw the biggest retirement party for Simmons in recorded history.' Isn't that nice?"

"Be serious for a minute!" Drew shouted at Alex.

"When you stop breathing down my neck." Alex retorted.

"My breathing can't be controlled." Drew angrily shot back

"Neither can my personal space, stop it anyway." Alex had to push Drew back a few steps.

"But what do they plan with Simmons when he's done?" I demanded. That got Alex to give me a look that seemed to say, _'Sorry but it doesn't say'_.

"But apparently the Crusaders do need him to find that evidence that could destroy their entire organization." Alex continued reading the information.

"But I don't think he know who has that evidence." Alex pointed out.

I was about to say something in regard to what Alex said but I noticed Drew standing over next to the window. I wasn't sure if I should've been worried about why he was there but the reason made things worse.

"What's wrong?" I asked Drew.

He was watching through the small slits of the blinds, then turned back. "Are you sure no one else knows about this place?"

"Great." Alex mumbled, then begun shutting down the computer, and took the chip out. I went over to see what was going on and saw a black SUV and a black Van. Several people in full black bullet-proof armor had gotten out and were making their way toward this building, guns in arm.

"So much for seven hours and thirty-eight minutes." I said out loud.

"It was a rough estimate." Alex had already gotten the computer off, and place a small yellow block on the desk. He held onto the button and pulled a small plastic slip out.

"What's that?" I asked.

"A surprise for our uninvited guests." Alex answered, then opened a small closet, filled with shelves, and nothing on them. Alex removed several shelves and pulled at a slot, opening the back wall.

"A sliding door." I said. "You put that there in case of an emergency?"

"It's best to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it." Alex lead the way through to the out said and down a fire escape.

* * *

Drew and I walked casually out the ally, if you could call it an ally, and down to my car. I watched the black SUV. Both doors opened and the last two people that remained got out, but fell to the ground when Alex shot them from behind a dumpster.

"Does there really have to be so much violence?" Drew demanded, slightly irritate.

Alex replace his gun back to his shoulder holster. "You want witnesses to tell their superiors what we're up to?"

"What about the people in the building?" Drew reminded him by pointing to the building.

At that exact moment, the top five floors of said building erupted in a large explosion. Debris flew out and landed on the ground, breaking into smaller pieces. Several large pieces of debris hit the van and SUV, hard enough. They wouldn't be drive able now. We were lucky that the smallest debris were sent in our direction, but we still ducked for cover in the case that larger debris might hit us.

Alex thought for a second, then answered Drew's question but with a question. "What people?"

"We better get out of here, and fast." I suggested, a little hastily, walking to my car.

"I, for one," Drew then mumbled the next word but we heard it none-the-less. "Agree with her."

That was a surprise but I didn't think much of it. The police would be here and some of the Crusaders were police officers. Drew and I got into my car and I pause to see that Alex didn't move from his spot.

"Come on." I shouted to him. "Let's go."

Alex stood for a moment longer before running to the car. "That's strange?"

"What's wrong now?" Drew sounded slightly scared.

Alex climbed into the car. "I could've sworn..." he stopped when the building exploded at least several more times, forcing us to speed out of the place. The entire building was now engulfed in flames. "Never mind. I thought the secondary explosions weren't affected by the first."

"Why would you have secondary explosions?" I asked but was more concerned, and possibly alert to his reasons.

"In case of something like this, to cover my tracks." Alex simply answered. "The fire will be easy to put out but not before any evidence of our presence will be destroyed."

I shook my head in response but I didn't say anything. I respected his reasons but not his actions.

We just drove in silence, contemplating our next move. We learned more than we expected, but the Crusaders true intentions were a mystery. And even someone I considered a friend, I now considered my enemy.

We knew one thing; the evidence we need to take down the Crusaders is lost somewhere in the world. Kennedy got that evidence and it costed him his life. If it wasn't for one key piece of information, then finding that evidence would be like finding a needle in a haystack. A family was killed because they had it. Whether or not they knew about it, remained unsure.

I had to contact Wade but I also needed to be safe about it. Sure he designed the system but what would the odds be that the Crusaders were able to hack into it?

We had some searching to do, and I didn't have the first clue as to where to start.

And time wasn't on our side.

* * *

Many more new questions have arisen, along with old questions that have been answered. For any questions anyone of you will have, will be answer in due time.

And as for the Kennedy assassination, I choose that because I needed something and it seemed to be the best.

Please review with any questions, comments, concerns and/or constructive criticisms you may have. They help and inspire me a lot. No flames and keep it clean.


	6. Chapter 5: Startling News

Sorry for taking so long in updating. Problems occured. Like my beta was really busy and my mom going into the Hospital for surgery. At least she's scheduled to be released by the end of the week unless something goes wrong, so all is as well as could be.

I know must have put a lot of people off with JFK. I hope this chapter changes things for everyone.

My thanks to madmopar, Sentinel103, Guns Knives and Napalm, screaming phoenix and CajunBear73 for reviewing and for those that read and enjoyed.

I would like to thank Shorty McGee for the beta.

Onward with the chapter

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Startling News**

I drove to a secure location before I contacted Wade. We couldn't go to my home. The Crusaders were bound to have someone watching the place. If they didn't already demolish the place.

And if no one was watching my home, then it wouldn't be long before they got someone there moments after we arrive. We had to stay on the move. We couldn't be in the same place twice, or for too long.

I kept driving for hours and I still have yet to found a place that I was comfortable with, though I doubt it wouldn't be long before we're discovered. It seemed like everywhere we went, the Crusaders were there and waiting to end our lives.

"Anyone have a suggestion of where we could hide and plot our next move?" I looked back at my passengers.

"If they were able to find my place very quickly, then I don't have any idea." Alex conceded.

I looked over at Drew, and he just waved it off. "I don't have the slightest idea."

I couldn't think of anything, and then an idea came to mind. I knew of one person that wasn't a Crusader and I was sure he would love to help in the sitch, and to take down the Crusaders.

I opened the link to talk with Wade. After a minute, Wade's face appears on the screen, along with the Tweebs.

"Hey, Kim. Wha..." Wade was taken back by Drew in the backseat. "What's Drakken doing in your car?"

"It's a long story," I told him. "But I need everything you can find on John F. Kennedy."

"Why?" The tweebs said at one.

"You ever hear of the Crusaders?" Alex asked.

Jim and Tim nodded, which Wade responded. "Yeah, but we haven't found any proof that they ever existed."

"Well, you do now." Drew told them. "They nearly killed us."

"And they killed Kennedy because he had physical evidence that could have them charged with treason." I informed them.

Alex had a smug grin on his face, then spoke to Wade. "Which means I win. He wasn't killed because of money."

"Don't get too smug about it." Wade sulked.

"Getting back to the important matter at hand." I interrupted them. I didn't care for their bets but for more about avenging Ron. "I need to find out who Kennedy would've trusted enough to give the evidence to safe guard."

"We're on it, Kim." The Tweebs declared then ran from the room. I heard them start their search. "And I need you to get in contact with Jared Dalton. I'm betting he would like to help."

"Got it." Wade said, and then added something like it was an after thought. "And I've got some news. Not sure if you would like it."

"It can't be _that_ bad, can it?" I didn't like where this was going and it turns out, it wasn't good.

"Well, I searched every database I could get into, and I found no record of a Samuel Marshall, anywhere." Wade announced. "It's like he didn't exist until several weeks ago."

Marshall had to be going under an alias. What other option was there to choose from? I also wondered what his real name was. And his appearance seemed to correspond with Ron's death, which means that it wasn't a coincident. I wondered what the real connection between Marshall's appearance and Ron's death was.

"Where did he come before then?" Alex wondered out loud.

"No way to know but to ask him." I declared.

Everyone looked straight at me. I knew the tweebs were looking in my direction and everyone knew what I was thinking of doing.

"You can't be serious." Wade objected.

"What?" Drew asked. I take it back. He didn't have a clue as to what I was thinking of doing.

"It's the only way." I tried to assure them.

"What?" Drew asked, but more annoyed that no one answered him back.

"You wouldn't be able to turn back." Alex informed me.

"If I have to say _what_ one more time, then I'll..." I cut Drew off before he had a chance to finish.

"I would need to get him alone, though." I said.

Drew was seething that he was both interrupted and ignored. No one really cared nor noticed his annoyance.

"How do you expect to get the Marshall alone?" Drew seemed to scoff, like it wouldn't have been completely impossible to get him alone.

"Simple. I'm gonna kidnap him." I declared, gaining a surprised expression from Drew. "I'm gonna kidnap Samuel Marshall."

My declaration caused everyone to convince me to not tread down that path. Everyone tried to talk to me at the same time, to try and convince me from kidnapping an agent.

"Th-that's not funny, Kim." Jim and Tim were once again at the screen.

"I'm your friend." Wade nearly shouted at me, trying to keep me from making any decision that could be a mistake. "I can't let you ruin your life!"

"Are you out of your mind?!" Alex asked.

"It's unthinkable. It's the biggest mistake you could ever make." Wade said his voice on edge. "There's no way you could pull it off."

"Exactly how do you plan on doing this?" The tweebs demanded.

"I was thinking about asking Agent Dalton if he could help me." I revealed.

"Oh." Wade wasn't still happy with my choice but decided not to hold me back.

"What?!" Drew exclaimed. He clearly didn't expect me to do anything that I had never really did before. Can't say that I blamed him. I never thought that I would actually plan to kidnap someone.

"I'm in." Alex eagerly volunteered. Almost too eager.

* * *

I waited in an empty lot far out of the reaches of people for the better part of an hour. I made sure to conceal myself within the dense part of the lot, so I could remain hidden until I revealed myself at the right time.

I contacted Jared and made an arrangement of where and when we were to meet, but I didn't contact him until after I made sure Alex and Drew had set up surveillance in the lot. I didn't give Jared more than a time and place, in case someone else was listening in on us. He seemed suspicious but agreed.

I kept a lookout, trying to find Jared. I didn't see him and began to worry. Thoughts that the Crusaders had killed Jared and were coming after me.

"_What is taking so long?"_ I heard Drew over the earpiece within my ear for the umpteenth.

"Will you be patient?" I growled.

"_Well if Dalton would hurry up already, then we could've kidnapped..."_

"_Lipsky, shut up for once."_ Alex sounded very agitated. _"It's no wonder why you never succeeded in taking over the world."_

"Why don't we maintain radio silence, and..." I stopped when Alex interrupted me.

_"Everyone, the chicken is now in Piccadilly square."_ Alex announced.

"_What does that actually mean?"_ Drew asked over the frequency.

I swear that for one brief moment, I felt like I was Shego. I was understanding how Shego felt more and more about Drakken. It felt like I was babysitting a small child again.

I sighed then said, "That means Jared has arrived."

"_Well, why didn't he just say so?"_ Drew angrily demanded.

"_I did, just not in a way that you'll understand."_ Alex taunted him.

I continued to listen to them bickering as I finally saw Jared. He was heading in my direction. He didn't seem nervous. Cautious would be the perfect word to describe how he looked. I was pretty vague with the information about why I needed to speak with him.

I remain hidden until he came to the trees. He was looking around, obviously looking for me. I waited a minute before I made my approach.

His gaze stopped at me, and then he took another step. "It's been a while, Kim."

I nodded. "Same here, Jared."

"So why was it so urgent that we had to meet here, and what do you need?" Jared got straight to the point.

"What if I told you I knew that all of your previous partners were criminals?" I informed my friend.

He crossed his arms but he didn't appear skeptical. He appeared more like he believed it. "But that wouldn't explain how they made it into the FBI."

"Your superior let them in." I then decided it was best that he knew the truth. "I found a chip that had information on a secret society called the Crusaders. They committed serious crimes, including murder. The director of the FBI is one of them."

Jared seemed shocked. Not the shock like when one learns of something they didn't know. The kind of shock when one learns something they didn't want to believe.

Then Jared's shock slowly changed to anger. He clenched his teeth, and shook his fist. "That explains everything. It explains how people who shouldn't be _IN_ the FBI, managed to get in."

I didn't want to burst his bubble, but I felt that I had to. "And your new partner is 3rd in line from leadership."

That caught Dalton off guard. "You sure? She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would want to commit any crimes."

"Most of the time, they don't." I said to him.

Jared didn't seem like he believed it. "I got to know O'Hara a little bit and it seems a little hard to believe she would actually intently harm anyone. Not even the bullies that her brother protected her from."

"You know that he was killed in an accident when she was twelve." I revealed to him.

"Yeah she told..." Dalton stopped talking, and stiffened.

I heard it too. It sounded like someone stepped on a twig and it broke. Alex and Drew were to stay put unless I called for them. Since I didn't call for them, then it had to be the Crusaders.

"Let's get out of here and fast." I said in a hush tone.

Jared nodded in acknowledgment, and we quickly left the lot but we ended up running when bullets started coming. The guns didn't make a sound as bullets barely missed us.

Silencers. They just had to come with Silencers, especially right when I was getting closer to find out what was really going on so I could finish this mission. And with how they just keep on coming, it must mean that they were ready to go through with their plan. But what were they planning, and how were they going to go through it?

Jared and I ran through the lot, not even taking it slow. Then I had to look back over my shoulder when I heard a sound that concerned me. Black SUVs were now coming towards us.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Jared cried when he knew what was going on.

Thankfully, Alex and Drew must have known what was going on because in the distance I saw my car coming our way. They swerved and came to a stop, opening the door so Jared and I were able to get in quickly.

"FLOOR IT!" Jared shouted.

No one needed to tell Alex that. He was already driving as fast as possible, trying to get away from those that were trying to kill us. The car remained behind us as we cleared some trees. Despite how much better my car was, they managed to keep up with us. I looked back and they seemed to be catching up.

Jared fired at the tires, but the bullets ricocheted off of the tires. He even fired at the windows but even that didn't help us much. They started firing at us but even I knew those wouldn't help them much.

"Armor plated tires." Jared grumbled. "They're not playing around here."

Alex turned sharply onto a dirt road, sending up a spray of mud. The other car had to turn shaprly to avoid the mud getting all over their windows. Alex drove straight and turned left, slipping through the fence and escaping out the lot. The other car continue to chase us as we turned onto the grass. Alex's driving skills were impressive or he wasn't really trying really hard but was just lucky.

The car was swerving but Alex got it under control and finally pulled onto an actual road, aiming towards the road, increasing spped.

"These guys are pretty good." Alex complimented. "Looks like they pulled out all the stops for us."

"I'm flattered." Jared said in a calm tone.

"We're running out of options!" Drew cried out.

Jared once again pointed his gun out the window. "Relax, Lipsky. We only had two options here to begin with."

"Like what?" I shouted at him.

"In a firefight on the road, since we don't have something high-caliber, we're not going to be able to penetrate the radiator or the firewall behind it. That leaves us with two options we started with:" Jared informed us. "The windshield, which we can't get through, or ricocheting bullets off the ground, up through the undercarriage. Because it's the least-reinforced of a car!"

I watched Jared fire at the ground, and watched at the people in the car panic. They started to swerve and crash into boxes and into a wall.

"For sheer panic, it's hard to beat bullets coming up from the floorboards." Jared grinned.

With their car out of commission, it was all we needed to get away before backup arrived.

"Your timing was perfect." I told Alex as he was pulling out of the lot.

"Don't get too excited." I didn't like the sound of Alex's tone as he spoke. "I got a call while you were meeting. The President has just been kidnapped."

"WHAT?!" Jared and I shouted at once.

"How did that happen?!" Jared demanded.

"They were sketchy on the details." Alex admitted. "All I know is that his vehicle was hijacked, and no one knows who did it. The only thing they know about two people is that one had brown hair and the other had blonde."

Things were spinning out of control. They killed many people but why would the Crusaders just kidnap someone? That didn't make any sense. I actually expected them to try to kill the President at one point but not kidnap him. Was it all a part of their plan? Or someone working against them had stepped in to mess with their plans. Maybe these people had plans of their own.

After an hour of driving, when we were far away from the lot, Alex slowed down but he didn't stop. Not that Drew would want him to. Or even _let_ him. Alex had to push him back to his seat before threatening to shoot him.

Alex didn't stop but he continued to drive throughout the city. If they were able to find us that quickly in the lot, then any safe place would be virtually non-existent. But we had to move on with our plan.

It was Jared that eventually broke the silence. "I don't mean to make it about me, but what did you three need from me?"

I thought of the best way to put it but we couldn't come up with a way without being straightforward about it.

"Kim plans to kidnap an FBI agent by the name of Samuel Marshall." Alex casually revealed to Dalton.

"What do you want with him?" Jared didn't sound very enthusiast about what I needed his help with.

"Poss– I mean, Stoppable," Drew corrected, then continued to speak. "Thinks Agent Marshall might know more about what's going on."

Jared scoffed at our accusation. "Since when does he know anything?"

"Since he doesn't appear in any database before a few weeks ago." I said. "Right around the time when Ron was killed. I would say that is pretty suspicious."

Jared seemed deep in thought. Like he was contemplating the decision I placed before him. I wasn't sure what he was thinking but I had a good idea as to what. Marshall was a powerful member of the FBI and it would be nearly impossible to do anything without anyone getting suspicious, unless planned correctly.

Jared spoke up, and very calmly said, "I know I'll regret asking this, but what do you need me to do?"

"I need you to make sure Marshall is alone." I started with the plan. "Be vague with the reason. Make something up. Just get him where I can get him and confront him."

Jared then gestured to the Alex and Drew, curious about their role. "And what about them?"

Drew shrugged. "She didn't tell us what..."

"They will be going after Tara." I revealed.

"WHAT??!!!" Alex and Drew shrieked. "THAT'S INSANE!"

"We will not go and get ourselves killed!" Alex shouted at me, shaking his head. "Not a chance!"

"Then stun her." I snapped at them. "I need someone to kidnap Tara, its all part of the plan."

"She's 3rd in line from leadership." Drew exclaimed in shock and fear. "It's like kidnapping the President when he's surrounded by his bodyguards, unarmed."

I wasn't concerned with how to convince them. Well, convince Alex but Drew was another matter. "You two succeed, you get to brag to people that you kidnapped someone from high up in leadership from one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world."

Alex was silent for a moment, then eagerly said, "Ok, where do we start?" in a very calm and excited tone.

Drew wasn't excited but after informing him that he could use any means to capture her, without killing or hurting her, then he finally relented but he was convinced that they were going to get killed in the attempt.

I then started to relay my plan to the group. It was time to kidnap some FBI agents.

* * *

I waited patiently in an abandoned parking garage, which was due to be torn down in several days, holding the stunner Wade specifically designed for me for events such as this. Of course he didn't expect me to kidnap someone with the stunner at the time he designed it. To be fair, neither did I. Funny how things turn out differently when you least expect it.

Jared didn't tell me how exactly how he planned to get Marshall there but confirmed that he will succeed in doing so.

I was surprised by how willing Jared was to help me, but after the problems the Crusaders seemed to be putting him through with those people he was partnered up with, I understood how willing he was.

I just waited, feeling nervous. If all went according to plan, then there was a possibility that we could take down the entire organization before the end of the week. If it goes well, that is. We had a lot to lose but a lot to gain. I was also nervous because of what I might learn. I didn't know what Marshall knew, if he was going to say anything at all.

It seemed like hours went by before I heard something. I looked from behind the pillar I was hiding behind, and just saw small rats scavenging for food.

I wished I had someway to keep in contact with my team but I couldn't for safety reasons. Alex and Drew had to maintain radio silence in order to make their mission a success. Jared wouldn't risk being an earpiece. He wanted to make sure he wasn't disturbed by any bit of noise from my end.

It was driving me insane. I had been waiting for possibly hours and have yet to hear from either of them. Thoughts began pouring into my head. Thoughts of Marshall killing Dalton. Even thoughts that Tara took out Alex and Drew, then contacting the Crusaders and informing them of my location came to my mind.

I kept telling myself I was getting paranoid and that I should keep my attention on the here and now. That helped me calm down a lot but not completely. I didn't know what was taking Dalton so long but I was relieved when I heard voices coming from beyond the walls, and heading to the building. The voices of Dalton and Marshall started echoing throughout the garage but it was soft and minimal. Their conversation stopped. All I heard was their footsteps as they came closer.

Then all sound ceased, with the exception of traffic but that's beside the point. Another sound came and I didn't like it but I will say this. You know you've been in the business way too long when you recognize the sound of a .45 caliber.

"What is Kim Stoppable doing here?" I groaned. I didn't know how Sam knew I was there but somehow, he did. And of how he spoke, it wasn't with anger but with alarm. That confused me greatly.

Jared tried to deny everything. "Mrs. Stoppable isn't here and if she was, why would she be here?"

"I don't know." Sam growled, and then called out to me. "If you don't stay out of this, then I'm sure I could find reasons to have her family brought up on charges, especially her brothers with their experiments."

I knew he was bluffing. They didn't have any criminal records but knowing him at the time, he would do anything to get what he wanted. But that didn't register in my mind. The tweebs could be pains but they are still my family, and no one threatens my family.

I stepped out of the shadows. The expression on my face cleared said I wasn't in the mood for anything. I disregarded my original plans, and stared into the face of the man I had considered my greatest enemy. Bonnie seemed more decent than him.

Samuel just glared at me for but a moment before he replaced his gun back into his shoulder holster. He remained silent for a minute longer; his unwavering gaze never wavered from me, like he was trying to think of something to say. It took a while but he finally spoke.

"I clearly gave a direct order for you to stay away." Samuel began his rant. "One directly from the Director of the FBI, and you ignored it."

"No so much ignored, as completely disregard." I simply replied, then added. "If you really want me to stay out of this, then answer one question, or we do this the hard way."

Samuel scoffed, and then said, "Like you'll ever stay out, but go ahead. Ask away."

I remained calm as I asked the question. "Why did you kill my husband."

The question took him completely off guard. He looked shock, as if he was wondering why I even suspected him as the murderer.

Nevertheless, he answered my question. "I would never kill my fa..." He stopped very quickly, like was about to say something he didn't want to say. Of what he was about to say seemed strange and suspicious. I had an idea as to what he was going to say but I wasn't sure if I was correct or not. Samuel then regained his composure, and finished speaking. "I mean, I-I would never kill Mr. Stoppable. I've never even met him."

"What were you going to say?" I wasn't about to let him get away, especially since it was obvious that he knew more than he was willing to reveal at the time.

Samuel seemed to panic a little bit. Since when did he ever panic? He was always calm and together. He answered but with a stammered. "W-w-what do y-you mean?"

He seemed afraid. Was this the same man I met a while ago? The biggest jerk I've ever met? There was something more going on and I wasn't going to let anything stop me.

Marshall started to back away but he wasn't fast enough. I pulled out the stunner and shot him three times. The red energy blasts stuck him and he fell to the ground.

It only took one to knock someone unconscious but my anger got the best of me. It actually felt a little better to work out my frustration by shooting him.

Jared looked back and forth between me and the agent on the ground. "What now?"

* * *

I paced back and forth. The three shots kept Samuel out longer than it's suppose to. I wasn't sure of the best place to conduct an interrogation but Wade solved that problem.

It had taken the rest of the day to get back to his little hideout. I'm still not too fond of the burnt pizza smell but I decided not to press my luck of finding a different place. This had to be the only place the Crusaders couldn't find us. And if they did, Wade had made some significant changes since I was here last, and it was now more protected then any top secret facility Drakken ever stole from.

I had yet to hear back from Drew and Alex. I wasn't sure of how successful they were in their mission. In the mean time, I thought it was prudent to get information from Samuel while I can.

As I waited for Samuel to regain conscious, Wade showed me the video from the time the President was kidnapped.

We searched every second of every video until we found clips that allowed us to get a clear picture of the two people. The way they remained calm, made it clear that they either planned it for some time, or pulled it off on a whim and just got lucky.

They just acted casually, with one getting into the vehicle, and the other getting into the driver's seat. Wade zoomed in on the two people. After digitizing the disguises out, Wade ran a scan on both people. It didn't take long before we got a match.

"Looks like Dr. Hansen had been busy." Wade showed the pictures of both the culprits. "And this man was supposed to have been dead for the better part of twenty-three years."

"Then what's he still doing alive?" I asked to no one in particular. I stared at the man. Something about him seemed familiar but I couldn't place his face to the hundreds of people I've met.

Wade was unable to find anything unable to find anything. I wasn't surprised. SInce when did we ever get everything we wanted.

Wade used the video to gather any evidence that we could use and to figure out where they went but even the people who got the video feed lost the vehicle. And from what I gathered from the news, the vehicle was found but the President and his kidnapers were no where to be found.

Our attention was redirected away from the kidnappers and to a video feed of our prisoner. Wade looked and watched as Samuel regain conscious.

He staggered to his feet, and observed his surroundings. When it was confirmed that he was trapped, he just said with a little bit of fear in his tone, "I'm a dead man."

I smirked, and then turned to go confront him.

* * *

The door buzzed, and then opened as I entered the interrogation room Wade and the tweebs added for this one thing. Wade followed right behind; as he was also doing everything he could to help me.

Samuel sat at the table, not even moving a muscle. He tried to remain calm but I saw through that. Deep down, I knew he was alarmed. About what, I didn't learn yet.

Something seemed odd with him but I didn't pay any mind to that. I kept him in my gaze as I walked to the table and took a seat in the chair across from him. He wasn't armed so I wouldn't have anything to worry about.

As I sat across from him, I didn't speak until I knew what to say. What I wanted to know was what he was going to say before he denied killing Ron. I was sure if he didn't kill Ron, then he had Simmons commit the crime.

I then started to speak. "So what's going on? What part of the Crusaders' plan do you fit into?" If his name wasn't on that list, then either it was an incomplete list, or he changed his name after the list was compiled.

"What is it to you?" Samuel calmly, yet simply, asked. "I could have you arrested for assault and kidnapping."

"Don't even think of trying." Wade slammed his hand on the table. "I've searched every database, and you didn't exist until a few weeks ago."

"Around the time Ron was killed." I pointed out. Samuel didn't seem all to worry but just stared straight at us. His expression was unreadable.

"I would say that's very suspicious." Wade added.

"I will admit that I showed up before Mr. Stoppable was killed," Samuel seemed calm, yet he sounded urgent. "But I never had a reason to bring any harm to him."

"What about Porter?" I insisted. "What reason would she have?"

"The same as mine, and don't you DARE accuse her!" Samuel shouted with a lot of hostility. Apparently I hit a sensitive point. She must have been someone close to him. Very close.

"Your girlfriend?" Wade asked.

Samuel reeled his head back in disgust. "That's disgusting." I wasn't sure if he was lying or not but I wouldn't be surprised if she was.

"There who is she to you?" I questioned.

Samuel seemed to be growing impatient. "Just stay out of this, before you get yourself killed."

"It's too late for that." Jared entered the room, and stared Samuel down. "She was nearly killed on several separate occasions."

"The Crusaders are intent on killing me." I informed him. "We already know too much for them to just let us go."

Samuel groaned as he dropped his head to the table. "How did you get that information? You never had that information before."

"I found a chip with that information among Ron's possessions." I said, more calm, which was strange. I hated this man but I just felt like there was some sort of a connection between us. I wasn't sure what. I couldn't explain it.

"How did he get that information?" Samuel pressed for answers.

"I don't know. Alex knew he had that information," I answered. "But no one knows how he got that."

"We might be able to answer that question now."

I turned and saw Alex standing in the doorway. I was relieved to see him and got from my seat and threw my arms around him.

"I thought you were killed."

"A few more minutes, and we might have been." Alex answered as I took a step back. "We have Tara in an interrogation room. Drew's keeping on eye on her, and you won't believe how Ron got that information."

I was about to ask how, but I heard Wade ask Samuel with astonishment. "Where did you get that?"

I turned and saw Wade pointing to something on his wrist. When I first saw it, it was just a watch. I didn't think much of it at the time. I mean, it was designed in a similar manner like a watch but when I got a closer look, it was completely different. So many things were different about it, yet you couldn't tell the difference unless you got real close to it.

"It's a watch, can't you tell?" Samuel quickly responded, almost with a hint of sarcasm, as he showed it to everyone. He also sounded a little panic when he spoke, which made me question why.

Wade grabbed his wrist, and looked at it closely, then spoke to me. "It's identical to a device your brothers and I've been working on but we never actually started on the prototype."

"What does it do?" I asked Wade.

"It creates a flawless holographic disguise, according to the users design." Wade answered as he reached for the device, with the intent of taking it.

Samuel pushed Wade back and backed away from everyone. He seemed determined to hide something. "There are some things you shouldn't know, and this is one of them." He warned us.

Wade wasn't going to give up _that_ easily. Someone had either hacked into his system and taken that information, or came up with it on their own. He wanted answers, and no matter what secret he was hiding, wouldn't be a secret for long.

Wade reached out to take it but Samuel pulled it out of reach, and unknowingly within my reach. I grabbed it and he pulled it back. I already had a strong grip on the device and it ripped off his wrist.

The holographic disguise flickered for a moment, and then completely dispersed. Instead of a tough and mean looking man, he was more scrawny and he didn't look as mean as his holo-disguise. The other features were his jade green eyes and his fire red hair but with a blond shading.

His features made him seem familiar, yet different at the same time. I never seen this man's real form before in my life

He just stared at us, eyes wide open and with more fear than before, he just said, "I'm a dead man."

* * *

What Samuel knows and his motive will be revealed. If anyone figures out what he knows, his motive or anything, be sure to keep it to yourself and don't spoil it for anyone else.

Any questions, comments, concerns are to be answered in my due time.

Please review with any questions, comments, concerns and/or constructive criticisms you may have. They help and inspire me a lot. No flames and keep it clean.


	7. Chapter 6: Future's End

Wow! I didn't realize that it's been so long since I last updated this. I hate writers block.

I give great thanks to Guns Knives and Napalm, TanithLipsky, Cre A. Tor00x, CajunBear73, screaming phoenix, madmopar and Data Seeker for their great reviews and to those that read.

I also thank by beta (Shorty McGee) for the beta.

Onward with the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Future's End**

I stared at the man. With the exception of some minor differences, I swear I was looking at Ron. My husband, who was killed for the information he somehow got. His clothes were the same from his holo-disguise but he was still scrawny. Who was this guy? A clone? A half-brother? This was very strange, and it continued to get stranger.

"Who are you?" Jared demanded, not wanting to waste any time.

"I... can't actually say." He replied. "Where I come from, we take the secret thing really seriously."

"And where might that be?" I insisted, much to his annoyance.

"A place you've never been to before."

I grabbed him by his shirt and slammed him to the wall. "Stop playing games! I've been through a lot. For nearly two weeks, I've been nearly killed on nearly a dozen occasions. So enough! Tell us what we want to hear!"

I felt a sudden pain ripple through my body. I couldn't explain it but I nearly dropped to my knees. I looked right into the eyes of the object of my hatred but something seemed off. I expected him to be giving me an arrogant smirk. As if he wanted to say 'I-told-you-so'. Instead he actually seemed genuinely terrified.

I nearly fell to the ground, but he got a hold of me and helped me to the table. Jared and Wade were concerned. They didn't know my current condition. I wanted to keep it a secret. I didn't know what would happen if anyone else know.

"You all right, Kim?" Wade sounded alarmed, but who could blame him.

I force a fake smile. "I'll be all right."

Our mysterious stranger scoffed at my answer. "Yeah, the pregnant woman is all right."

I froze for but a moment but it was enough for everyone to catch my reaction. Right then and there, I knew my secret was out. I didn't want to look at anyone so as too not look anyone directly.

"Is that true, Stoppable?" Jared looked at me directly square in the eye.

I just avoided looking at anyone, but it was futile. I didn't want to tell anyone because then I would have no choice but to stay home and wait for news. I couldn't do that. The only option I had was to keep it a secret.

"So what if it's true." I conceded. If I didn't answer, then Jared could've made the phone call that would get him the answers he wanted.

"You put yourself, and an unborn child, in serious jeopardy!" Jared wasn't one to get angry but I could hear the frustration rising in his tone.

I looked back at the man. He seemed to be enjoying this. I didn't have a clue why he was enjoying this. I know he wanted me to stay out of the investigation but I didn't understand his reasons.

"I don't care." I said, getting agitated, turning back to Agent Dalton. "My best friend was murdered. My husband! And I swore that I'd do everyth..."

"You still put your child in danger." Jared bellowed.

"Jared-" I tried to say calmly, yet with much strength to my tone but that didn't work.

"From this moment, Stoppable," Jared started as calmly as he possibly could. "I'm making sure that you stay off this investigation."

"You can't!" I said through clenched teeth. I felt angry, hurt and betrayed.

"I just did." Jared said, his voice even. "I'm doing this for what's left of your family."

I was breathing hard. I tried to be calm but it was hard. Even Wade watched on. Jim and Tim remained hidden behind the door but I knew they heard everything.

"Sorry, Kim, but we're going to have to lock you up." Wade solemnly said. "It's for the safety of you and your child."

Jim and Tim came into the room, and chimed in.

"We've actually had some rooms..."

"Built to protect many guests..."

"If they were to stay here..."

"And by stay, we mean detained."

The tweebs were actually trying to help me by forcing me off this case! As long as I was the only one to know about my pregnancy, then no one could actually stop me. Now that everyone knew, including Wade and the tweebs, I never expected to leave that place until the Crusaders were finished.

I turned my murderous gaze toward the man. I wanted nothing to do but to make him wish he was never born. I don't think I'd ever seen anyone this excited in my life and it only added to my anger.

"Yes. Mission completed." He said happily. I hated how excited he sounded. He was getting on my nerves but his next words changed everything. "It's about time Mom is taken off the investigation."

It wasn't more than a second late that what he said clicked in all of our minds but somehow we reacted at the same time. "What?"

He stopped, and then slowly turned to face us. "Nothing." It was more of an innocent 'I-didn't-say-anything' tone but we all heard him say 'Mom'.

"Did you just say, 'Mom'?" Wade asked, somewhat confused.

"Did I?" He asked in a very innocent tone.

"Who are you?" Jared demanded, drawing his gun but he didn't point it at the guy. It was probably just to scare him but with him, I couldn't always tell.

"If you don't tell us, then we could have Drew use his brain tap machine and get the information ourselves." I can't say I was one to make threats but I knew he knew something and I wanted to know what it was.

He pressed his face into his hand and groaned in a soft whisper. "She's going to kill me for this."

Taking a deep breath, he leaned back and made direct contact with us. He looked like he was in deep thought. He was obviously thinking of the best place to start. He sighed before speaking.

"My name is Michael but if you want to know more, then you have to protect me."

"From the Crusaders?" I asked, not really sure why. "You probably could handle yourself against them."

"Not them." Michael quickly replied. "Someone who's worse, and scary, especially when she's mad."

"Lara Porter?" Jared seemed to about ready to laugh but he caught himself with my death glare. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Is she... with... the Crusaders?"

"She is not," Michael's voice was rising, nearly shouting. "But she is still not to be messed with."

"She can't be as bad as you say she is." Jared said.

"Hey, man, she's pretty scary when she's mad." Michael replied. "I swear she could glare you to... death..." He slowly came to a stop when he saw the death glare I was giving him. "Wow! Now that's where she got that! Must be genetics, or something."

"Are you going to explain to us, or not?" Wade asked. "Where are you from?"

"I will tell you," Michael replied. "But I expected you to figure out by now."

I kept looking at him, trying to pick up anything. I also kept piecing everything together everything we knew. What he told us, and his appearance. It took a while, but soon the realization of the answer slowly formed in my mind.

"You're from the Future, aren't you?"

After I had said that, there was a pause, filling the room with silence, and then a smile formed on Michael's face, he then leaded back in his seat, and folded his arms. "That's impressive that you figured that out on your own. I thought it would be way over your head."

"Actually, you left some obvious hints." I calmly replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I came back to make some alternations to the timeline." Michael simply answered.

"What alternations?" Dalton insisted.

"In the time where I came from, the Crusaders have taken over the world, leaving most of it in ruins." Michael explained. "Everyone is either subjected to their laws or executed."

"They managed to take over the world?" Alex demanded. "How?"

From the look Michael was giving us, it was obvious that he was reconsidering everything. He had thought it was better to tell us, make sure we were warned and know how dangerous the battle to come would be.

"It was easy after the President was assassinated." Michael then began with his story. His side of the story about the evil that took place. "The Crusaders have been planning this for many years. We're not sure how long. They made it appear to be a terrorist plot. And when the Vice President took over, he sent out a counterattack. And that was only the beginning. He managed to get some laws passed. Laws that went against what the Constitution stood for.

"Hardly anyone took much notice due to how minor they were. Those that did take notice were treated with mockery and contend. Some died due to 'mysterious' circumstances. The rest prepared for the worse but they didn't let themselves be known."

"They were murdered?" Wade asked with shock.

"We didn't have much proof but those that were against them, suspected it. It didn't take long before they had control of all the governments of the world." Michael paused for several seconds, and then continued, pointing at me. "You and dad formed an underground resistance four months before you gave birth. A few weeks before dad was... killed."

"Wait!" I insisted, interrupting the story. "Suppose I believe you, when did Ron get killed?"

"In less than seven months from when he was killed in this timeline." Michael replied. "Our problem is how come the timeline changed greatly. He wasn't supposed to die yet."

"Why?" I exclaimed.

"Dad played an important role before his death." Michael started back up. "He rallied the students of Yamanuchi and they helped to deal a devastating blow but it wasn't enough. The Crusaders didn't sit back but they struck harder, nearly wiping out the Resistance. Those that survived went into hiding and made a different choice in tactics. Guerrilla Warfare style.

"It was working for a while but that didn't last long. It didn't take the Crusaders long to learn the tactics they were using and to set an ambush. Their main target was Dad but most of the group was wiped out. With Dad gone, a lot of people started to lose hope, especially since he seemed to be the soul and strength of the Resistance. He did more damage than everyone combined." He looked right at me. "But you stepped up as much as you were able to but after I was born, you died due to... complications."

"Complications?" I asked.

"Yeah, dad's death affected you more than you were willing to admit. No one saw the signs since you were so good at hiding secrets." He shot a glare in my direction with his last words.

I didn't argue since I kept plenty of secrets, especially about my condition. What had amazed me was how quick the Crusaders managed to take over the world, insure a short amount of time. They couldn't have just come up with their plan just like that. They must have been planning for many years.

"What happened after that?" Wade earnestly inquired.

"That was pretty much the end of the resistance." Michael replied, solemnly yet direct. "The years rolled on with much despair in the world. Growing up wasn't easy with how high the crime rate was. Everyone was too scared to do anything for fear of being killed. My grandparents were dead, along with Aunt Hana, so I and many other children were raised by some people you two saved in your time, saving the world.

"It was twenty-five years before a breakthrough was made. Uncles Jim and Tim, with Wade, had made new inventions that might help bring hope back to the world, since they refuse to give up."

"Like that holo-disguise we are working on?" Wade asked.

Michael nodded. "You three disappeared after the resistance fell apart, but only reappeared for one last mission. After you three vanished, you started to conduction experiments and built many devices that were against the Crusader's laws and kept quiet about it." Michael's expression became deadpan. "Especially your time machine."

My eyes widen further. If he did have this time machine, then I could possible travel back and save Ron. I wanted so desperately to have Ron back so much it ached.

He didn't have much really evidence to prove his story but I believed him. When I look directly into his eyes, I saw something that would only be there if someone was honest.

I saw the truth of it in his eyes. He wasn't lying.

"Do you have this time machine?" I asked him, hoping he did.

I got glances from around the room, which they were probably wondering why I started to believe him. I didn't want to explain why.

Michael started to avert looking directly at me, which made me nervous. He must have figured out why I asked.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Michael looked back at me, shaking his head. "N-No, no. Why would you assume that?"

"Because you're not answering her?" Alex said in the form of a question.

"What happened?" Jim and Tim spoke in unison.

"I don't know how to say this," Michael began. "But after the Time Machine was finished, we began to make preparations. We were ready and the Time Machine was on, but the Crusaders found out and raided the base. Wade, and Uncles Jim and Tim bought the time needed to escape through the time stream.

"They set the entire place to self-destruct, three seconds after I got through. No one else made it through after me and the time machine was destroyed. And even if it wasn't destroyed, then it still would've been a one way trip."

I sank down into the seat. The chance to save Ron I was hoping for was stripped away from me before I even had a chance.

But the story Michael told us gave us chills. I figured they were like the typical villains but that didn't sound like any villains I ever heard of. They sounded more ruthless that anyone Ron and I have ever faced and from the sound of things, everything was going to go bad. Very bad.

"I have a question." Jared interjected. "Do you know where their HQ is?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah, but unless you're a member or know where any blind spots are then you might as well ask for a quick death going in. It's a fortress."

"Where is it?" Jared demanded.

"It's in Washington D. C., in the warehouse district." Michael answered. "Although it was rumored that it was only a front, no one could ever confirm it."

"It's something to work with." I said. "Can you take us there?"

"Yeah but you're staying here." Michael shot back.

I tried not to argue back but he was making it difficult to do so. My secret was out and that wouldn't stop anyone from locking me up.

"We do have someone that knows more." Alex suggested. "Who could get us in?"

"O'Hara?" Jared didn't like the sound of that. "She's 3rd in line from leadership! If anything, the information give us would get us killed."

"That's true, she could have plans to kill us," Michael said. "But who's to say what she's really planning to do?"

"And since she came so willing when we got her," Alex added. "We have to assume it's a trap."

"Then she would lead them to us so they take us out." Jared declared, and then spoke with much urgency, "We have to get out of here, now!"

"You people don't know anything! I only told you the most basic information of what's to come, but some things have changed." Michael interjected. "The point is they could be coming here as we speak, and what I still haven't figured out is how you guys got that information much earlier then you did before."

"I was contacted by Ron when he found it in a package." Alex replied. "The problem is, I was contacted by someone else. A woman and she sounded terrified but said she had vital information on an assassination plot and the organization behind it."

"And?" I pressed for more.

Alex looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued. "I thought she was crazy since we get about ten thousand tips a day on just about everything, but I decided to be on the safe side and told her to get that information to me. Only she never did."

"And it somehow came into Stoppable's possession." Jared said, and then turned to Alex. "Did this contact give a name?"

Alex shook his head. "No, and I never heard from her again."

"Is there anything about her that you do know?" Jared questioned Alex.

"The call was traced to a payphone," Alex answered. "But there were no witnesses, no fingerprints on the phone. I figured it was just another prank call."

"But these are different circumstances," Wade said. "Obviously someone had somehow found out about the Crusaders, and tried to warn us."

"But," Jared added. "Ultimately failed."

I turned to walk out of the room, but stopped. "I'm talking to Tara, and you are not stopping me."

I closed the door behind me. We weren't really getting anywhere just by speculating. We knew we were in great danger but we couldn't just act without proper intelligence.

And if we did, our next move could be our last.

* * *

I figure I should have this chapter to answer questions anyone might have about what the Crusaders are planning to do, but I'm sure there are still questions that have yet to be answered.

Please review with any comments, concerns and/or constructive criticisms you may have. They help and inspire me a lot. Questions will be answered in due time. No flames and keep it clean.


	8. Chapter 7: Dark Legacy

Two chapters within a few weeks of each other. That almost never happens for me.

I would like to give great thanks to screaming phoenix and CajunBear73 for their great reviews and to those that read. And I also thank by beta (Shorty McGee) for the beta.

Onward with the chapter.

**

* * *

Chapter 7: Dark Legacy**

I was furious that I was kicked off the investigation but I was still able to question Tara, along with Jared and Alex but Alex would be observing from outside. Everyone else went off to prepare for the assault on the Crusaders' Headquarters, thanks to the information from Michael.

I entered the room, and Tara just sat at the table, her features unreadable. I wasn't sure what she was thinking, but when I entered, our eyes made contact. It lasted for a second before she looked away. I didn't understand her actions or reasons. All I wanted was some answers.

"Tara." I said my voice steady and even, to hide my feelings of anger.

"Kim." Tara replied back, matching my tone. "How are you doing?"

I remained silent, then calmly said, "I'm fine. I was nearly killed a few times, but I'm fine."

I kept silent, hoping to gather information I uncovered through the silence. Regardless of how ruthless someone was, I know they can still be broken through the tense moments of silence. But it would still take a while.

I kept it up for a while before I spoke again. "Why did you join the Crusaders?"

Tara didn't answer back. She seemed determined not to answer or to not look weak but I could tell that there was something wrong with her. I decided that I needed to hit her pressure point. Something or someone that she was close to. And I knew of someone.

I looked away. "Aaron would be ashamed of what you've been doing..."

Tara's head jerked in my direction. "Stop it!"

It didn't sound like a demand but more like she was pleading. I didn't stop but continued, trying to get into her head. "If he wasn't killed in that accident..."

Tara slammed her fists on the table and shouted, "He was murdered!"

We locked eyes and had a staring contest. The longer it went, the more harden my features became. Her features remained hard, until she broke. That caught me off guard but more so when her head slumped to the table and she starting crying.

I looked back to the one-way window where Jared and Alex was watching us and shrugged. I wasn't about to believe her. Anyone can cry on command. Even politicians can do it.

The door opened and Jared stepped in. He closed the door behind him and pulled a chair back. The scraping sound got Tara's attention and she stopped, looking up at her now former partner, her eyes slightly red. She wiped the tears from her eyes before she sat up, but was no longer happy or scared. She was just distressed and miserable.

Jared made eye contact with Tara, obviously thinking. Finally he spoke. "Why are you with the Crusaders?"

Tara remained silent for several moments but it felt like minutes. "I never did... I never wanted to be... It was either... that or... be killed."

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Tara took a deep breath, calming herself down from earlier. "When we are born, we are taught to believe... that the world is evil."

I nodded then said, "I'll give you that." in a tone that implied that I believed her but at the same time, I didn't believe her.

Tara slammed her hands on the table again. "This isn't just another scheme! I'm serious!" She stopped herself and struggled to retain her compose. "If someone refuses to... believe they will... be killed."

"Like Aaron." I said.

Jared was confused. "Who's Aaron?"

Jared obviously didn't know much about Tara or it was a touchy subject. I knew him before Middle School and not only was a popular but he was nice to everyone. Ron had looked up to him, like some sort of hero.

"My parents... adopted him after his parents were... murdered." Tara replied, looking down.

That didn't seem right. I recall reading in the newspaper that it was an accident. I started to speak but stopped when I realized something. They killed Aaron in a fire many years ago, and made it look like an accident. They could have done the same to not only his parents but a lot of other people.

"Why did they murder Aaron's parents but not him?" Jared questioned.

"Because they were defecting," Tara simply answered. "They didn't want anything to do with the Crusaders, so they defected. The Crusaders intended to get the whole family but they failed to get Aaron, so my parents took him in to avoid suspicion."

"Then they killed him." I replied. "What was your part in Aaron's death?"

Tara's face went pale from my accusation. "You think I committed murder?"

"No," I said to her. "I only implied you helped."

Tara only became even paler and started to become frantic. I thought she was going to have a heart attack.

"T-t-there's no w-way, I could e-ever hurt him." Tara stuttered as started to panic more. "I-I couldn't. He was there for me when I needed him!"

As Tara attempted to convince us of her innocence, I was more focused on her body language. If there's one thing I have come to learn about criminals, it's that no matter how talented one is at acting innocent, there is always a reaction that they can't do at will.

Tara lowered her head to avoid looking at us. Her voice cracked when she said, "I swear I didn't want this life."

I remained stoic as I said, "I know."

Tara's head shot straight up, obviously as surprised as Jared when they both said, "What do you say?"

"I know." I repeated. "There's something I learned from dealing and how to find out if they're as innocent as they claim."

"Kim, can I talk to you for a moment?" Jared got out of his chair and walked over to the door. "Outside."

I wasn't about to move but Jared just pulled me out of the chair and the room. He closed the door to silence our conversation.

"You can't just go around believing everyone to be innocent." Jared exclaimed. "If you keep doing that, then one of those 'innocent' people could turn around and kill us."

"I've worked with a lot of Law Enforcement agencies." I began to count them off. "Global Justice, FBI, Secret Service and even NCIS."

"NCIS? Never heard of them." Jared admitted.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service," I replied, offhanded. "But that's not really my point. My point is that I've learned a lot from those agencies to know if someone is guilty or not."

"I'm not about to trust someone of a major criminal organization with my life..." Jared protested but I cut him off.

"Then trust me!" I said, locking eyes with Jared. "I know what I'm doing."

Jared pondered for a while on whether or not to go along with me. He was obviously thinking back to those that betrayed him and how often it happened. He didn't want to trust someone he knew could betray us and get us killed.

I, on the other hand, believed we could trust her but I also had to have my doubts. I was going mostly on a leap of faith that Tara wouldn't betray us. But if she ever did, then I wanted to be ready for anything that we might have to deal with.

"Fine," Jared relented. "But this doesn't mean that I trust her or want to work directly with her."

Jared decided to remain outside to view everything going on from the observation room, trading places with Alex, who had previously been viewing everything.

I reentered the room and sat across from Tara with Alex next to me. I already knew of the Crusaders' plot but the question was why they were doing it. The reason why they were doing it. What actually got them on this path?

"I know the Crusaders' are planning to take over the world and kill those that resist..." I began but Tara seemed completely taken off guard.

"How did you know?" She asked, completely surprised. "Not even I knew that until a few weeks ago."

"How could you not know?" Alex asked, confused. "You're 3rd in line from leadership."

Tara's shoulders slumped. "That doesn't mean much of anything. My position is more like a secretary but with a lot of power. And not even those higher then me knows everything, except for our leader."

That seemed odd that she didn't know. "So you have to be in command of the entire organization to know everything that is going on?"

Tara nodded. "Yeah."

"Interesting security measures." Alex commented. "Limit information so not everyone knows what's going on and only what they are supposed to do."

"Yeah but mostly so one person controls everything," Tara spoke. "And so they would also know whose the traitor in case anything ever went wrong."

"How did they even get this way?" I insisted. I mean, one person couldn't have just decided to practicably destroy the world on a whim. "How long have they been like this? 60 years, maybe?"

"Since the Crusades." Tara simply answered.

There was a moment of silence of skeptical contemplation before Alex broke the silence.

"You're kidding, right?" Alex seemed skeptical. "They've been at it for that long?"

"Ever since they felt betrayed by those they called their brethren," Tara said. "And were sentenced to death."

"Their 'brethren' betrayed them?" I repeated. "Why?"

Tara shrugged in response. "Their explanation contradicted what history recorded. It was said that they were following orders when they attacked villages on their way to the Holy Land but then it seems their commanders just turned around and had them arrested for war crimes."

"I assume there much have been more going on." I said.

"Yeah, these people were hot headed, over zealous people and deeply devoted in their religious beliefs." Tara said. "They were borderline extremist. They assumed that those villages were full of evil people and needed to be destroyed."

"But let me guess," Alex started. "They weren't as corrupted as they believed?"

"No, they were allies," Tara quickly replied. "Loyal to the Crusaders and helping them, supporting with everything they could offer."

"That doesn't make any sense." I said. "Why would they kill their own allies?"

"Because they swore allegiance to them," Tara began. "On the condition that if they helped the Crusaders they and would leave them and their beliefs alone."

"I suppose these extremists came in sometime after the allegiance was made." I surmised.

"Yeah but they saw the villager's beliefs as an abomination." Tara said, and then a tear fell as she added, "Slaughtered them in cold blood and without mercy."

"I think I know how this story ends." Alex whispered to me.

"They were brought up on charges not only for killing innocent people, but also for how barbaric the slaughter was. There were rumors that the some group of the Crusaders had considered their brethren to be corrupted and plotted to take over as a means to 'save' them but no one could confirm it. In the end, they had to flee but were hunted down, even their families." Tara's voice seemed to lack any kind of emotion. "They put those they found on trial and executed. Those that did escape plotted revenge."

They attacked people for what they believed in, believing that those beliefs were an abomination? The more I learned about these extremist Crusaders, the more I hated them. And the most I hated them, the more I wanted to stop them.

I still had to be on my guard. Despite Tara opening up about the Crusader's history, there had to be more going on. Either she was withholding information, or she really didn't know everything that was going on. Either way, I wasn't going to lower my guard.

"If you didn't want to be with these Crusaders," Alex was trying to choose his words well. "Then why didn't you try to do something about it?"

"I did, but..." Tara bit her lower lip, trying to think.

"But what?" I pressed on for the answer.

"But for some reason, the FBI didn't get the information I tried to send them." Tara answered.

"What information?" Alex asked.

"It was a computer chip with all the information needed." Tara replied. "It should have been enough to take them, even without the evidence Kennedy found."

The mention of a computer chip sounded familiar. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the case I placed it in. After removing the chip, I held it up within Tara's view.

Her mouth opened a little bit and her eyes widen in surprise. "How did you..." She didn't finish her sentence.

I knew what she was going to say but I wasn't about to say that Ron had it. I wasn't sure I want to tell her how it came into my possession.

"I found it in... my things." It wasn't exactly true but I wasn't going to say more on that matter.

Tara's expression only became more regretful. "You found it in Ron's things, didn't you?"

"Yeah," I slowly said. "How did you..."

I didn't need to finish. The look on her face told me everything. The mixture of sorrow and regret. I now knew that it was Tara that had the information sent to Ron. I understood why she choose to sent it to Ron, but the most part of me wish she didn't sent it to Ron but actually sent it directly to the FBI. Although Ron was killed by the Crusaders and not actually Tara, I still couldn't help but to blame Tara for his death.

Alex looked thoughtful for several moments until it all came to him. "You were that anonymous caller with information about a criminal organization."

"I was."

"What made you change your mind?" Alex said. "You didn't want to be killed but you risked your life to try and get us that information."

"It wasn't until a few weeks ago." Tara said. "When I over heard two people talking about events. Events that hadn't happened yet. They seemed to know what was going to happen and I knew they weren't with the Crusaders."

"How often do people get information that are not apart of this organization?" Alex inquired.

"Very rare," Tara answered. "But even rarer if they lived."

"Where did you see these people?" Alex seemed doubtful.

"In the park, entering a secluded area. I got a look at the man but not the woman." Tara answered. "I swear that he looked a lot like Ron so I figured it must have been him talking to you."

Alex and I exchanged glances. We both had to be thinking of the same person: Michael. The other person had to be Michael's secret friend, whoever that was; even if Laura was her real name.

I wanted to ask some more questions but the intercom for the room came on and Jared spoke through it. "Kim, we need to talk."

Part of me wanted to stay and learn more but the other part just wanted to get out of the room and away for this woman that was partly responsible behind my husband's death. I got up and left the room but when I closed the door behind me, I was confronted by Jared AND Wade.

"We've got bit of a problem here." Wade didn't sound calm and that wasn't good.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The Crusaders are on their way here." Jared responded. "It seems that they're bringing in an entire army."

"And the defensive systems of this place are not enough to stop the number of people coming." Wade informed us.

"No doubt Tara had a hidden tracking device on her." Jared spat out.

Wade shook his head in disagreement. "If she did, I would've known about it."

"We must evacuate." I advised.

Jared obviously didn't like the situation, despite the fact that I would have to come with or remain and be killed.

"Michael suggested that as well, with you coming with us," Wade paused, and then added. "Albeit, reluctantly."

"They should be here within the hour." Jared said. "Which means we don't have much time to leave."

"I have security measures in the event of an assault." Wade said. "But we need to be long gone before they get here."

"You have a self-destruct for this place?" I nearly shouted.

"No, if I blow up the place then they know we're gone and won't be far behind." Wade replied. "I do, however, have some 'distractions' that are ready for a field test. They should distract the Crusaders long enough for us to get far away."

"You haven't put them for a field test yet?" I was actually a little concerned. "How sure are you that these 'distractions' work?"

"Because your brothers are the ones that test everything," Wade said. "Before they are ready for a field test."

I was comforted a little bit. If there is anything I know about Jim and Tim, it's that they test everything they make as thorough as possible to make sure it works.

I quickly returned to the Interrogation Room. The manner in which I entered caught Alex and Tara off guard, causing them to wonder what was going on.

"The Crusaders know where we are and are on their way." I informed them.

Alex groaned. "Oh, for crying out loud!"

"Get out of here while you can." Tara pleaded. "If you hurry, you can stop the assassination on the President."

"The Vice President is a Crusader, I presume." I asked.

"He is." Tara replied.

"We don't have time." Jared called from the doorway. "Everyone out."

Alex didn't need to be told twice. He quickly followed Jared out to gather everyone but Wade went off to sabotage the information in the computer system so nothing could be found.

I was about to leave the room but stopped and turn back to Tara. She didn't seem motivate to move or to leave.

"Are you going to stay here?" I asked.

"Why should I go?" Tara sounded like it didn't matter. "They're just going to kill me when they find me anyway. Let it be done when they find me here."

"Would they have a good reason?" I asked, rather skeptical.

"Sometimes they don't need a good reason." Tara replied. "But since I was taken against my will, they would assume I talked and even then, many of the Crusaders believe that I'm too soft."

"Too soft? Why?" I asked. "Because you don't go around killing people?"

Tara nodded. "I try to stay away from all the violence but sometimes I'm forced into those situations."

My first instinct was to dash off but instead I went back and dragged Tara out of the room. "We still might need your knowledge about the Crusaders so we could stop them."

"But, Kim," Tara stumbled as I pulled her towards the door. "Unless you can save the President from being assassinated, then it won't matter."

"Well, he was just barely kidnapped, so I assume..."

"Kidnapped?" Tara repeated, cutting me off. "What do you mean?"

I stopped and turn directly at her. "I mean someone kidnapped him and I know who it was."

Tara's nose scrunched up in confusion. "That doesn't make any sense; they didn't plan to kidnap him. His car was supposed to be rigged to explode."

"The kidnapping wasn't part of the plan?" Some things just didn't add up. If they didn't plan on kidnapping the President, then I couldn't help but wonder what was Greg's part in all this?

"Let's finish this later." I said, and continued to lead the way out. "Right now, it's not safe."

* * *

We quickly arrived in Wade's version of a Garage he and the tweebs seemed to enjoy constructing by the look of things. It was cluttered with work stations, spare parts and unfinished experiments, which I wasn't sure I wanted to know what they were planning on actually building. The one thing that stood out was an object, hidden under an old tan tarp.

"Could you help me with this?" Wade asked Alex, gesturing to the tarp.

Once the tarp was removed, I took hold of the object. It was a vehicle and it didn't look any different from a standard silver coated Mercedes McLaren.

"Is this some sort of new type of car, Wade? Or does it have some kind of special design?" I wondered what made this car so special. I figure he tricked it out with some new kind of experiment.

"Why didn't you tell us...?" Jim started.

"You were working on this?" Tim finished.

Jim and Tim looked into the car by pressing their faces to the window, which Wade shouted, "Don't touch it, I don't want any scratch marks..." He stopped when everyone just looked at him. Jim and Tim practically jumped back by his outburst. "What? A guy likes to have a nice car sometime in his life."

"I get it. You love your car." Jared said. "Let's just get out of here."

I got into my own car and checked the tracking system in the car for signs of the Crusaders. They were coming but by the time they arrived, we planned to be long gone. We had to go our separate ways. Alex, Drew and Tara went with me and everyone else went with Wade. We would meet back up again in Washington D.C., where Wade would have a safe house that we hope we stay hidden until we would plan out our assault.

We would need a plan and a good one. And with Tara's help and knowledge of the Headquarters layout, we knew the chances of our success would increase but we also needed to stay on guard if we expected to live. And we needed to be prepared to expect the unexpected.

* * *

This chapter should be more about the reasons about how the Crusaders became what they are.

Please give a review with any comments, concerns and/or constructive criticisms you may have. That way I will know Questions will be answered in my own due time. No flames and keep it clean.

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